JLPT N5 Grammar: も (mo) — “Also / Too / Either” Particle

JLPT N5 Grammar: も (mo)

Q: Can I use も with adjectives?

Yes. 今日も暑いです (Today is also hot). も simply attaches to the noun before the adjective.

Q: How do I say “Me too!” casually?

In casual speech, you can say 私も！ (Watashi mo!) — just も without a full sentence.

The inclusion particle — “also / too / as well / either”

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「も」解説かいせつ (同類どうるい・強調きょうちょう)

⏱️ Study time: 4–6 minutes

The particle も (mo) means “also” or “too”. It replaces particles like は, を, or が when you want to say that something applies equally to another person or thing. In negative sentences, も becomes “either” or “neither”. Mastering も will let you connect ideas and agree with people naturally.

🚀 JLPT N5 Warm-up Quiz

Q: How do you say “I am also a student” in polite Japanese?

Answer: A (私わたしも学生がくせいです). も replaces the topic particle は and attaches directly to the noun. B and C are incorrect word order.

Quick Summary

Grammar Point
も

Meaning
“also / too / as well” (positive)
“either” (negative)

Pattern
Noun + も + Predicate
Replaces は / が / を

Example
私わたしも学生がくせいです。わたしもがくせいです。Watashi mo gakusei desu.
I am also a student.

📝 Core Patterns with も

Affirmative: Noun + も + Verb / Adjective / Nounです

Negative: Noun + も + Negative Predicate (ません / じゃありません)

Replacement: も replaces は, が, を, but can follow other particles like に (にも), で (でも)

⚠️ When used with 何 (what) or 誰 (who) + negative, it means “nothing” / “no one”.

🧠 Need the topic marker? See は (wa) →

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

What is も?

も is the inclusion particle. It indicates that something applies to the marked noun in the same way as something else. In English, we say “too”, “also”, or “as well” for positive sentences, and “either” or “neither” for negatives.

も directly replaces the topic/subject/object particle (は, が, を).
In negative sentences, も means “either” — 私わたしも学生がくせいではありません = I’m not a student either.
When used with question words like 何 (what) + negative, it means “nothing”.

私わたしも毎日まいにち運動うんどうします。わたしもまいにちうんどうします。Watashi mo mainichi undō shimasu.
I also exercise every day. (in addition to someone else who does)

⚡ Main Uses of も

Use	Pattern	Example
"Also" with topic	N1 + も + Predicate	彼かれも先生せんせいです。かれもせんせいです。Kare mo sensei desu. He is also a teacher.
"Either" in negative	N + も + negative	私わたしも学生がくせいではありません。わたしもがくせいではありません。Watashi mo gakusei dewa arimasen. I am not a student either.
"Nothing" / "nobody"	何も + negative / 誰も + negative	何なにもありません。 There is nothing.

Examples & Mini Dialogue

私わたしは日本語にほんごを勉強べんきょうします。妹いもうとも勉強べんきょうします。わたしはにほんごをべんきょうします。いもうともべんきょうします。Watashi wa Nihongo o benkyō shimasu. Imōto mo benkyō shimasu.
I study Japanese. My little sister also studies.

✅ も replaces は for the second subject.

昨日きのう何なにも食たべませんでした。きのうなにもたべませんでした。Kinō nani mo tabemasen deshita.
I didn't eat anything yesterday. (nothing)

🗣️ Mini Dialogue
A: 週末しゅうまつどこか行いきましたか。しゅうまつどこかいきましたか。Shūmatsu dokoka ikimashita ka.
B: いいえ、どこも行いきませんでした。いいえ、どこもいきませんでした。Iie, doko mo ikimasen deshita.

⚡ も vs Particles It Replaces

Original Particle	With も	Meaning
は (topic)	私わたしも	I also (topic)
が (subject)	誰だれも (with negative)	nobody
を (object)	何なにも (with negative)	nothing
に (location/destination)	学校がっこうにも行いきます	go to school too

⚠️ Critical JLPT Trap: Do not use も together with は, が, or を in the same phrase. も replaces them. You cannot say 私わたしはも — it's either は or も.

Common Mistakes (and Fixes)

✕ 私わたしはも学生がくせいです。

✓ 私わたしも学生がくせいです。 (も replaces は.)

✕ 何なにがあるも？

✓ 何なにかある？ (Positive question uses か; も is for positive inclusion or negative "nothing".)

✕ 私わたしもが学生がくせいです。

✓ 私わたしも学生がくせいです。 (も directly replaces が.)

JLPT N5 Practice Questions

Score: 0 / 3

1. “He is also a teacher.” Select the correct particle.

2. “I don’t eat meat either.” Choose the correct negative sentence.

3. “There is nothing in the room.” Which pattern is correct?

🎯 JLPT N5 tip: も is a small word but appears frequently in reading and listening. If you see も replace は/が/を and the sentence is negative, the meaning is “either” or “nothing/no one”. Master this and you’ll quickly recognise inclusion and negation patterns.

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

Can I use も with adjectives?

Yes. 今日きょうも暑あついです (Today is also hot). も simply attaches to the noun before the adjective.

Does も always replace は, が, and を?

Yes, も replaces those single-function particles. However, it can follow other particles like に (→ にも), で (→ でも), から (→ からも), etc.

How do I say “Me too!” casually?

In casual speech, you can say 私わたしも！ (Watashi mo!) — just も without a full sentence.

Continue Learning

Next: を (wo/o) — the direct object particle.

Learn を →

→ Explore the JLPT N5 Grammar Hub

Ready to Pass JLPT N5 with Confidence?

Join Anup Sensei's intensive course at Gogaku Language & Training Center, Pokhara. Small batches, real conversation, mock tests, and full grammar mastery.

Join Now – www.gogakueducation.com

🎌 Free JLPT Mock Test