も: 'Also', 'Too', and 'Even' (Particle Guide + Examples)
What it means
も is the "me too" particle. It marks a noun as being the same as something already mentioned — "also," "as well," "too." If your friend is a student and so are you, you use も. The key thing to remember is that も takes the place of the particles は, が, and を; it does not sit next to them.
ヤッタンも学生です。
ヤッタンも がくせいです。
Yattan is a student too.
も replaces は here — not ヤッタンはも.
モチも来た。
モチも きた。
Mochi came too.
も replaces が — モチが来た becomes モチも来た.
ヤッタンの弟も本を読みます。
ヤッタンの おとうとも ほんを よみます。
Yattan's little brother reads books too.
How to form it
も simply slots in where the old particle was. For は and が, も pushes them out completely. For を, も also replaces it:
| Original | With も | English |
|---|---|---|
| ヤッタンは | ヤッタンも | Yattan too (topic) |
| モチが | モチも | Mochi too (subject) |
| コーヒーを | コーヒーも | coffee too (object) |
| 学校で | 学校でも | at school too (keep で) |
Note the last row: particles like で, に, and へ are kept, and も is added after them (でも, にも, へも). Only は, が, and を get replaced.
Adding two things: 〜も〜も
Put も after each item to mean "both…and" in a positive sentence, or "neither…nor" in a negative one:
ヤッタンはコーヒーもお茶も好きです。
ヤッタンは コーヒーも おちゃも すきです。
Yattan likes both coffee and tea.
モチは肉も魚も食べません。
モチは にくも さかなも たべません。
Mochi eats neither meat nor fish.
With a negative verb, 〜も〜も = neither…nor.
先生も弟も来ました。
せんせいも おとうとも きました。
Both the teacher and Yattan's little brother came.
Numbers + counter + も: "as many as" / "not even"
Place も right after a number + counter to add emphasis. In a positive sentence it means "as many as" (a surprisingly large amount). In a negative sentence it means "(not) even":
ヤッタンはコーヒーを三杯も飲んだ。
ヤッタンは コーヒーを さんばいも のんだ。
Yattan drank as many as three cups of coffee.
Positive + number + も = a surprising amount.
モチは一円もない。
モチは いちえんも ない。
Mochi doesn't have even one yen.
Negative + number + も = not even.
先生は一時間も待ちました。
せんせいは いちじかんも まちました。
The teacher waited a whole hour.
Common mistakes
- Keeping は, が, or を next to も. This is the big one. It's ヤッタンも (✓), never ヤッタンはも or モチがも or コーヒーをも in everyday speech. も swallows those three particles.
- Dropping で / に when you shouldn't. Other particles stay and も is added: 学校でも ("at school too"), ヤッタンにも ("to Yattan too"). Don't reduce these to just も.
- Using only one も for "both…and." You need も on each item: コーヒーもお茶も, not コーヒーとお茶も.
- Forgetting the negative for "not even." 一円も by itself isn't enough — it needs a negative verb: 一円もない ("not even one yen").
Quick recap
- も = "also / too / even"; it adds a noun to what was already said.
- も replaces は, が, and を — never use them together.
- Other particles (で, に, へ) stay, and も follows: でも, にも, へも.
- 〜も〜も = "both…and" (positive) or "neither…nor" (negative).
- Number + counter + も = "as many as" (positive) or "not even" (negative).
Your turn
Choose the correct use of も (also / 〜も〜も / number + も).
Start the 5-question drill →Frequently asked questions
Does も replace は and が?
Yes. も takes the place of は, が, and を — you don't keep both. ヤッタンは → ヤッタンも, モチが → モチも, コーヒーを → コーヒーも.
What about particles like で and に?
Those are kept, and も is added after them: 学校でも ('at school too'), ヤッタンにも ('to Yattan too'). Only は, が, and を get replaced.
How do I say 'both A and B'?
Put も after each item: コーヒーもお茶も好き ('I like both coffee and tea'). With a negative verb, the same 〜も〜も pattern means 'neither…nor.'
What does も after a number mean?
It adds emphasis. Positive: 三杯も飲んだ ('drank as many as three cups'). Negative: 一円もない ('not even one yen').