Grammar Info

N4 Lesson 8: 11/18

とIf, When, Whenever, And, [Conditional]

Structure

Verb + と
［い］Adjective + と
［な］Adjective + だ + と
Noun + だ + と

Details

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About と

In the same way as the case marking particleと means 'and', sometimes it is translated as 'if'. In these cases, it is considered to be far stronger than ば, なら, or たら (which express hypothetical outcomes). This is because one of the primary uses of と is highlighting a result. In these cases, と is actually a conjunction particle, and shows one of three things.

仮定(かてい)の順接(じゅんせつ) - A result that is assumed to be true, and obvious.

確定(かくてい)の順接(じゅんせつ) - A result that is known to be true.

仮定(かてい)の逆接(ぎゃくせつ) - The opposite of a result that is assumed to be true.

Due to this, the (B) part of a phrase using と as 'if', will always occur when (A) happens, as it is considered to be the result of (A).

と may not be used in situations where the (B) result 'might' happen. It must be definite (or close to definite).

In this particular nuance of と, despite being translated as 'if', the actual meaning is much closer to 'and', as と is expressing that (A) and (B) will always go together.

Examples

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    勉強(べんきょう)をすると、テストは簡単(かんたん)になる。

    If you study, the test will be easy.

    この石(いし)を磨(みが)くと、綺麗(きれい)になる。

    If you polish this rock, it will become beautiful.

    そうすると絶対(ぜったい)に失敗(しっぱい)するよ。

    If you do it that way, you will definitely make a mistake.

    ここから見(み)ると、富士山(ふじさん)が全然(ぜんぜん)見(み)えない。

    If you look from here, you can't see Mt. Fuji at all.

    週(しゅう)に3回(かい)トレーニングをするとだんだん強(つよ)くなる。

    Whenever you workout three times a week, you gradually get stronger. (if...)

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と – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (7 in total)

  • Ambo100

    Ambo100

    Usually based on context, in some of the examples there is a comma after と.

    勉強べんきょうをすると、テストは簡単かんたんになる。

    この石いしを磨みがくと 、綺麗きれいになる。

    ここから見みると 、富士山ふじさんが全然ぜんぜん見みえない。

    You wouldn’t use a comma if you are using と to join nouns.

    と can be used more than once when used to mean ‘and’, unlike in the conditional と.

    バナナとリンゴとオレンジとか

  • jrmr50

    jrmr50

    thank you, explained very clearly…

  • steffuld

    steffuld

    Is it something like zero conditional in English, when both clauses are in present simple?

    If I drink too much coffee, I can’t sleep at night.
    コーヒーを飲みすぎると、夜に寝ない。

    If you heat ice, it melts.
    氷を温めると、溶ける。

    When the sun goes down, it gets dark.
    日が落ちると、暗くなる。

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