と – Linking 'And', 'With', and Quotations in Japanese [JLPT N5]

Quick Summary

Meaning: と links things like “A and B,” marks doing something with someone, and shows a quotation (“…,” someone says/thinks).

How to Use: Connect nouns (A と B), mark a partner (Person と V), or attach と to a quoted clause before verbs like 言います (iimasu, to say).

Example:

• 先生とラーメンを作ります。
• Sensei to raamen o tsukurimasu.
• I make ramen with my teacher.

Overview

The particle と has three beginner-friendly jobs.

First, it means “and” when you connect two (or more) nouns: A と B. This is an exact list—you mean A and B (and nothing else). If you want “A and B and more,” you’ll later meet や (ya, and such).

Second, と means “with” when you do something together with a person or animal: Person と V. Use と for partners. Do not use と for tools or methods; for those, Japanese uses で.

Third, と marks quotations: attach と to the end of what is said/thought, then add a verb like 言います (iimasu, to say), 思います (omoimasu, to think), or 聞きます (kikimasu, to ask/hear). The quoted part usually stays in plain (dictionary) form, even if the main sentence is polite.

Before You Start

If you are comparing ways to make a list, start with our guide to や, for open-ended lists. It shows why や leaves the list open-ended.

Structure / Formation

Base formulas

• N1 と N2
• N と N と N
• Person と V
• Clause と 言います (iimasu, to say)
• Clause と 思います (omoimasu, to think)
• Clause と 聞きます (kikimasu, to ask/hear)

Connecting nouns: と = “and”

Use N1 と N2 to join nouns into a clear, complete list. You can chain more items: N と N と N. This と list is understood as “all of these, exactly.”

Example:

• 朝ごはんはパンとスイカです。
• Asagohan wa pan to suika desu.
• Breakfast is bread and watermelon.

Partner marker: と = “with (together with someone/animal)”

Use Person と V to show you do an action together with someone (or a pet, character, etc.). Remember: for tools or means (“with chopsticks,” “by bus”), Japanese uses で, not と.

Example:

• 猫と宿題をします。
• Neko to shukudai o shimasu.
• I do homework with my cat.

Quotation: Clause と + verb of saying/thinking

Put と after the quoted content, then add a verb like 言います (iimasu, to say), 思います (omoimasu, to think), or 聞きます (kikimasu, to ask/hear). The quoted clause typically uses the plain form.

Plain form before と	Example pattern
V-る / V-た	V と 言います / V-た と 言います
i-adj	i-adj と 思います
N + だ	N だ と 思います
na-adj + だ	na-adj だ と 思います

Example:

• ロボットは「眠い」と言います。
• Robotto wa “nemui” to iimasu.
• The robot says, “I’m sleepy.”

Common Mistakes and Contrasts

• と can link a complete pair, mark “with,” or introduce a quotation.
• Use や when listing examples rather than presenting a complete pair; use と for the quoted words before 言う.

Want to compare this with を, the direct-object marker? That guide explains how を marks the direct object of an action.

Example Sentences

• 昼ごはんはケーキとラーメンです。
• Hirugohan wa keeki to raamen desu.
• My lunch is cake and ramen.

• おばけとゲームをします。
• Obake to geemu o shimasu.
• I play games with a ghost.

• 猫は「人間だ」と言います。
• Neko wa “ningen da” to iimasu.
• The cat says, “I am human.”

• ブロッコリーはかわいいと思います。
• Burokkorii wa kawaii to omoimasu.
• I think broccoli is cute.

• 月に「チーズですか」と聞きます。
• Tsuki ni “chiizu desu ka” to kikimasu.
• I ask the moon, “Are you cheese?”

Quick Practice

(Answers and explanations are right under this section.)

Multiple-Choice

1. Choose the sentence that clearly means “I eat bread and eggs (only).”

• A. 私はパンとたまごを食べます。(Watashi wa pan to tamago o tabemasu.)
• B. 私はパンやたまごを食べます。(Watashi wa pan ya tamago o tabemasu.)
• C. 私はパンでも食べます。(Watashi wa pan demo tabemasu.)
• D. 私はパンとたまごです。(Watashi wa pan to tamago desu.)

2. Choose the correct sentence: “I watch a movie with my grandma.”

• A. 私はおばあさんと映画を見ます。(Watashi wa obaasan to eiga o mimasu.)
• B. 私はおばあさんで映画を見ます。(Watashi wa obaasan de eiga o mimasu.)
• C. 私はおばあさんを映画と見ます。(Watashi wa obaasan o eiga to mimasu.)
• D. 私はおばあさんに映画を見ます。(Watashi wa obaasan ni eiga o mimasu.)

3. Choose the correct sentence using と with 思います: “I think sushi is delicious.”

• A. 寿司はおいしいと思います。(Sushi wa oishii to omoimasu.)
• B. 寿司はおいしいですと思います。(Sushi wa oishii desu to omoimasu.)
• C. 寿司はおいしいとです。(Sushi wa oishii to desu.)
• D. 寿司はおいしくと思います。(Sushi wa oishiku to omoimasu.)

4. Choose the correct sentence that means “I ask the teacher, ‘Is it homework?’”

• A. 先生に「宿題ですか」と聞きます。(Sensei ni “shukudai desu ka” to kikimasu.)
• B. 先生と「宿題ですか」に聞きます。(Sensei to “shukudai desu ka” ni kikimasu.)
• C. 先生は「宿題ですか」と聞きます。(Sensei wa “shukudai desu ka” to kikimasu.)
• D. 先生に「宿題ですか」を聞きます。(Sensei ni “shukudai desu ka” o kikimasu.)

5. Choose the sentence that uses と to make a complete list of three items: apples, bananas, and milk.

• A. りんごとバナナと牛乳を買いました。(Ringo to banana to gyuunyuu o kaimashita.)
• B. りんごやバナナや牛乳を買いました。(Ringo ya banana ya gyuunyuu o kaimashita.)
• C. りんごとバナナや牛乳を買いました。(Ringo to banana ya gyuunyuu o kaimashita.)
• D. りんご、バナナ、牛乳を買いました。(Ringo, banana, gyuunyuu o kaimashita.)

Spot-the-Error

6. One sentence has an error with と. Which one?

• A. 母とパンを作ります。(Haha to pan o tsukurimasu.)
• B. フォークとサラダを食べます。(Fooku to sarada o tabemasu.)
• C. 弟と歌います。(Otouto to utaimasu.)

7. One sentence has an error with quotation と. Which one?

• A. 王さまは「眠い」と言います。(Ousama wa “nemui” to iimasu.)
• B. 私は「明日行く」思います。(Watashi wa “ashita iku” omoimasu.)
• C. ロボットは「人間だ」と思います。(Robotto wa “ningen da” to omoimasu.)

Translation

8. Translate into Japanese using と: “Dinner is octopus and pizza.”

9. Translate into Japanese using と: “I study with my alien friend.”

10. Translate into Japanese using と: “Grandpa says, ‘I am a gamer.’”

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Answers and Explanations

1. A. 私はパンとたまごを食べます。(Watashi wa pan to tamago o tabemasu.) — Use と to list exactly two nouns as a complete set.
2. A. 私はおばあさんと映画を見ます。(Watashi wa obaasan to eiga o mimasu.) — と marks the partner you do the action with.
3. A. 寿司はおいしいと思います。(Sushi wa oishii to omoimasu.) — The clause before と思います stays in plain form.
4. A. 先生に「宿題ですか」と聞きます。(Sensei ni “shukudai desu ka” to kikimasu.) — Use に for the person you ask and と before 聞きます.
5. A. りんごとバナナと牛乳を買いました。(Ringo to banana to gyuunyuu o kaimashita.) — Repeat と to show a complete three-item list.
6. B. フォークとサラダを食べます。(Fooku to sarada o tabemasu.) — Tools take で, so it should be フォークでサラダを食べます。(Fooku de sarada o tabemasu.)
7. B. 私は「明日行く」思います。(Watashi wa “ashita iku” omoimasu.) — You must add と before 思います.
8. 晩ごはんはたことピザです。(Bangohan wa tako to piza desu.) — Use と to join two foods in a complete list.
9. 宇宙人の友だちと勉強します。(Uchuujin no tomodachi to benkyou shimasu.) — と marks “with” (your study partner).
10. おじいさんは「ゲーマーだ」と言います。(Ojiisan wa “geemaa da” to iimasu.) — Put と after the quote before 言います, and use だ with a noun inside the quote.

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Keep going

These are useful next stops if you want to compare nearby grammar patterns:

• Still mixing up this pattern with や, for open-ended lists? Read that guide to see the difference.
• Need the basics first? Start with the lesson on を, the direct-object marker.
• Ready for the next step? Continue with か, for questions and “or”.

For the full beginner path, browse the JLPT N5 Japanese Grammar Guide.