N5 · The basic sentence
も: also, too, neither
the particle も
も replaces は, が or を and adds "also"; も…も means "both", and with a negative "neither".
も means "also" or "too", and it goes straight after the word it adds to. It takes the place of は, が or を rather than joining them: 私も学生です "I am a student too", コーヒーも飲みます "I drink coffee too". There is no はも and, in ordinary speech, no をも.
Other particles stay, and も follows them: 京都にも行きました "I went to Kyoto as well", 友達とも話しました "I talked with my friend too". The rule of thumb: は, が and を step aside for も; every other particle keeps its place and も comes after it.
Used twice, A も B も means "both A and B", and with a negative verb "neither A nor B": 肉も魚も食べません "I eat neither meat nor fish". A question word with も and a negative verb makes "nothing", "nobody" and "nowhere": 何も食べませんでした, だれもいません, どこにも行きません.
The English habit that causes trouble is putting "too" at the end of the sentence, where it can belong to anything. も has to sit right after the thing that is "also": 私もコーヒーを飲みます is "I, too, drink coffee", while 私はコーヒーも飲みます is "I drink coffee as well (as other things)". And 何も needs a negative; "everything" is a different word, 全部.
The form
| I am a student too. | 私も学生です。 |
| I drink coffee too. | コーヒーも飲みます。 |
| I went to Kyoto too. | 京都にも行きました。 |
| both meat and fish | 肉も魚も |
| I eat neither meat nor fish. | 肉も魚も食べません。 |
| I eat nothing. | 何も食べません。 |
| There is nobody here. | ここにはだれもいません。 |
| I am going nowhere. | どこにも行きません。 |
The rules one by one
も goes straight after the word it adds to, and takes the place of は, が or を.
妹も大学生です。My younger sister is a university student too.
Other particles such as に, で and と stay, with も after them.
日曜日にも仕事があります。I have work on Sundays too.
A も B も means "both A and B", and with a negative verb "neither A nor B".
父も母も元気です。My father and my mother are both well.
A question word with も and a negative verb means nothing, nobody or nowhere.
今日は何も食べていません。I have not eaten anything today.
A closer look
Too, either, neither — one word
English switches from "too" to "either" in a negative sentence: "I am going too", but "I am not going either". Japanese keeps も in both: 私も行きます, 私も行きません. The verb carries the negative; も only says "the same applies to me".
After a number or an amount も does something else: it says the amount is more than expected. 三時間も待ちました is "I waited a whole three hours", with the surprise English puts into "a whole" or "as many as".
Exceptions and special cases (1)
-
も follows a number or an amount
it means "as many as" or "as much as", not "also".
駅で一時間も待ちました。I waited at the station for a whole hour.
The idea of "even this much" is close to "also" — the amount goes beyond what one would expect — and Japanese uses one particle for both.
How to spot it
- も
- 〜も〜も
- 何も
- だれも
- どこにも
- にも
Example sentences
私もコーヒーをお願いします。Coffee for me too, please.
兄も弟も背が高いです。My older and my younger brother are both tall.
冷蔵庫には何もありません。There is nothing in the fridge.
日曜日はどこにも行きませんでした。I did not go anywhere on Sunday.
教室にはだれもいません。There is nobody in the classroom.
日本語も中国語も話せます。I can speak both Japanese and Chinese.
8 more example sentences
今日も暑いですね。It is hot again today, isn't it.
この本も読みました。I have read this book too.
山田さんにも連絡しました。I let Mr Yamada know as well.
週末は雨も風も強かったです。At the weekend both the rain and the wind were heavy.
だれにも言わないでください。Please do not tell anyone.
駅からも空港からも近いです。It is close to both the station and the airport.
私もそう思います。I think so too.
昨日は何も買いませんでした。I did not buy anything yesterday.
Worth knowing (2)
-
Not ... either
Agreeing with a negative takes も and a negative verb, never a separate word for "either". It is one of the commonest short replies in conversation.
「行きません。」「私も行きません。」"I am not going." "I am not going either."
-
Something and nothing
A question word with か means "something"; with も and a negative verb it means "nothing". The question and its answer often use the pair side by side.
「何か買いましたか。」「いいえ、何も買いませんでした。」"Did you buy anything?" "No, I did not buy anything."
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
も does not stack on top of は; it replaces it. The same goes for が and を. Only the other particles — に, で, と, から — stay in place and take も after them.
Put も right after the thing that is "also", and let it replace は, が or を.
Your turn
9 exercises on this topic. Your answers are checked in the browser; none of them leaves your device.