と (Natural Consequence)

と (Natural Consequence) Japanese Grammar Lesson

Grammar Type: Particle

Essential Meaning: If / When

Construction: 

• (Verb / い-Adjective / な-Adjective / Noun + Copula) informal nonpast + と
  • E.g. 話はなすと [If X speaks]
  • E.g. 食たべると [If X eats]
  • E.g. 高たかいと [If X is expensive]
  • E.g. 静しずかだと [If X is quiet]
  • E.g. 先生せんせいだと [If X is a teacher]

Notes:

• The structure Sentence 1 と Sentence 2 represents a situation in which the action or situation in Sentence 1 naturally brings about the action or state in Sentence 2. For example, if I drop a ball, it will naturally fall to the floor due to gravity; the falling is a natural consequence of the dropping. As another example, if I touch a hot stove, my hand will hurt; the hurting is a natural consequence of the touching.
  • E.g. タイヤは古ふるいと危あぶないですよ。[If the tires are old, they’re dangerous.] The implication here is that becoming more dangerous is a natural consequence of the aging of tires.

• Because Sentence 2 represents a non-controllable situation (i.e. a situation not brought about by human agency), Sentence 2 can not be an expression of human agency such as a command, a request, a suggestion, an invitation, or a volitional statement. All of the following examples are therefore ungrammatical following.
  • E.g. Command: *仕事しごとが早はやく終おわると私わたしのうちに来きなさい。[If you finish work early, come to my house.]
  • E.g Request: *仕事しごとが早はやく終おわると来きてください。[If you finish work early, please come.]
  • E.g. Suggestion: *仕事しごとが早はやく終おわると来きたらどうですか。[If you finish work early, why don’t you come?]
  • E.g. Invitation: *仕事しごとが早はやく終おわると来きませんか。[If you finish work early, would you like to come?]
  • E.g. Volitional Statement: *仕事しごとが早はやく終おわるとおうちにお伺うかがいします。[If I finish work early, I will go to your house.]

• Note that Sentence 1 in the structure Sentence 1 と Sentence 2 must be non-past even if it represents a nonpast event. The overall tense is expressed in Sentence 2.
  • E.g. それは先生せんせいに聞きくとすぐ分わかった。[When I asked the teacher that, I understood immediately.] Sentence 2 is in the past tense, which indicates that the overall situation occurred in the past.

Example Sentences:

ニューヨークに行いくとおもしろい店みせがたくさんある。[If you go to New York, there are many interesting shops.]

それは先生せんせいに聞きくとすぐ分わかった。[When I asked the teacher that, I understood immediately.]

タイヤは古ふるいと危あぶないですよ。[If the tires are old, they’re dangerous.]

魚さかなが嫌きらいだと日本にほんへ行いった時とき困こまりますか。[If you don’t like fish, will you have a difficult time in Japan?]

学生がくせいだと割引わりびきがあります。[If you’re a student, there’s a discount.]

WILD Examples:

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