JLPT N5 Grammar: と (to) — "and / with / quotation" Particle

JLPT N5 Grammar: と (to)

Q: When should I use と instead of や?

Use と when listing all items, and や when giving examples from a larger group. 'I like dogs and cats (just those two)' → と; 'I like dogs, cats, etc.' → や.

The exhaustive listing / accompaniment / quotation particle — “and / with / that”

JLPTジェイエルピーティー N5エヌゴ文法ぶんぽう助詞じょし「と」解説かいせつ (並列へいれつ・共同きょうどう・引用いんよう)

⏱️ Study time: 5–7 minutes

The particle と (to) has three essential uses at N5 level: listing nouns exhaustively (A and B), marking a companion (with someone), and quoting speech or thoughts (saying “that…”). It’s one of the most versatile particles you’ll use daily.

🚀 JLPT N5 Warm-up Quiz

Q: Which sentence correctly means “I went to the park with a friend”?

Answer: A (友達と). と marks the person you do something with. で marks a location or means, に marks a destination or existence.

Quick Summary

Grammar Point
と

Function 1
Exhaustive listing (“A and B”)

Function 2
Accompaniment / together with

Function 3
Quotation / reported speech

📝 Core Patterns with と

Listing: Noun A + と + Noun B (complete list)

With: Person + と + Verb (do together)

Quotation: Sentence + と + 言いう / 思おもう

⚠️ と always connects nouns or clauses. For incomplete lists, use や.

🧠 Compare with incomplete lists: や (ya) →

💡 Toggle furigana, hiragana, or romaji for easier reading.

What is と?

と is a multi‑function particle. At the JLPT N5 level, you will see it used in three distinct ways:

Complete listing — connects two nouns meaning “A and B” (exhaustive).
Accompaniment — shows who you do an action with (“with someone”).
Quotation — marks the content of speech or thought before verbs like 言いう (say) or 思おもう (think).

私わたしは田中たなかさんと映画えいがを見みました。わたしはたなかさんとえいがをみました。Watashi wa Tanaka-san to eiga o mimashita.
I watched a movie with Mr. Tanaka. (accompaniment)

⚡ Three Core Uses of と

Function	Pattern	Example
Complete listing	Noun A + と + Noun B	犬いぬと猫ねこがいます。いぬとねこがいます。Inu to neko ga imasu. There is a dog and a cat.
Accompaniment	Person + と + Verb	友達ともだちと遊あそびます。ともだちとあそびます。Tomodachi to asobimasu. I play with my friend.
Quotation	Quote + と + 言う / 思う	山田やまださんは「美味おいしい」と言いいました。やまださんは「おいしい」といいました。Yamada-san wa "oishii" to iimashita. Ms. Yamada said, “It’s delicious.”

Examples & Mini Dialogue

毎朝まいあさパンと卵たまごを食たべます。まいあさぱんとたまごをたべます。Maiasa pan to tamago o tabemasu.
I eat bread and eggs every morning.

✅ Complete list: only bread and eggs, nothing else.

明日あした彼かれと買かい物ものに行いきます。あしたかれとかいものにいきます。Ashita kare to kaimono ni ikimasu.
Tomorrow I'm going shopping with him.

🗣️ Mini Dialogue
A: 週末しゅうまつにだれと会あいましたか。しゅうまつにだれとあいましたか。Shūmatsu ni dare to aimashita ka.
B: 家族かぞくと会あいました。かぞくとあいました。Kazoku to aimashita.

⚡ と (complete list) vs や (incomplete list)

Particle	Meaning	Nuance	Example
と	A and B (exhaustive)	Only the listed items	本ほんとペン (book and pen — just those two)
や	A and B (etc.)	These are examples; others exist	本ほんやペン (books, pens, and so on)

⚠️ Critical JLPT Trap: If the test asks “どのような食べ物が好きですか？” (What kind of food do you like?), and you want to list a few examples, use や not と, because the list is not exhaustive.

Common Mistakes (and Fixes)

✕ 友達ともだちで買かい物ものします。

✓ 友達ともだちと買かい物ものします。 (Accompaniment uses と, not で.)

✕ 私わたしは「寒さむい」を言いいました。

✓ 私わたしは「寒さむい」と言いいました。 (Quotation uses と, not を.)

✕ 犬いぬや猫ねこが好すきです。

✓ 犬いぬと猫ねこが好すきです。 (If you only like dogs and cats, use と for exhaustive list.)

JLPT N5 Practice Questions

Score: 0 / 3

1. “I ate bread and coffee for breakfast.” Use the exhaustive listing particle.

2. Which particle means “with” in “I study with my friend”?

3. She said “I’m happy.” Choose the correct quotation.

🎯 JLPT N5 tip: The quotation use of と is often tested with verbs like 言う, 思う, 書く. Remember that the quoted phrase remains in its plain form before と.

Test yourself with a free mock exam →

About the Instructor

Taught by Anup Sensei at Gogaku Language & Training Center in Pokhara. With real Japan experience and a focus on exam essentials, he helps students pass the JLPT with confidence.

Related Grammar

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I use と instead of や?

Use と when listing all items, and や when giving examples from a larger group. “I like dogs and cats (just those two)” → と; “I like dogs, cats, etc.” → や.

Can と be used with verbs other than 言う and 思う?

Yes, と is the standard quotative particle and can be used with any verb of communication or thought, such as 書かく (write), 聞きく (hear), 答こたえる (answer).

Does the quoted phrase change form before と?

It stays in its plain form exactly as it would be said/thought. For polite speech, the quoting verb itself can be polite (言いました) while the quote remains plain.

Continue Learning

Next: や (ya) — the incomplete listing particle.

Learn や →

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