と Particle (Reciprocal Relationship) Japanese Grammar Lesson
Grammar Type: Particle
Essential Meaning: With / As
Construction: Noun + と
Notes:
- と (Reciprocal Relationship) marks a noun that shares a reciprocal relationship with the subject. For example, in sentences such as “John chatted with Chris” or “John bumped into Chris“, the action is reciprocal; John doesn’t talk AT Chris, but instead Chris reciprocates the talking. John doesn’t run into Chris, but instead they mutually bump into one another. と (Reciprocal relationship) is used in these kinds of situations where both parties experience the situation reciprocally.
- E.g. 私はアンディーと一緒にパーティーに行った。[I went to the party with Andy.] This sentence takes the speaker’s viewpoint, but Andy reciprocally experiences the act of going to the party, so he is marked by と.
- Generally speaking, the viewpoint of sentences with と (Reciprocal relationship) can be reversed so that the subject becomes the reciprocator, and the reciprocator becomes the subject. That being said, if the sentence in involves the 1st person, the sentence should take the first person’s point of view.
- E.g. みどりはボブと結婚した。[Midori got married to Bob.]
- E.g. ボブはみどりと結婚した。[Bob got married to Midori.]
- E.g. *アンディーは私と一緒にパーティーに行った。[Andy went to the party with me.] When the speaker is involved in the sentence, it is generally bad practice for the sentence to take another’s point of view.
- To describe a more unidirectional situation in which John bumps into Chris or John talks at Chris, the に (Indirect Object) particle is more appropriate. The nuance between に (Indirect Object) and と (Reciprocal relationship) is illustrated in the following example sentences.
- E.g. 正男は先生と話した。[Masao talked with his teacher.] The use of と implies a bilateral conversation between Masao and the teacher.
- E.g. 正男は先生に話した。[Masao talked to his teacher.] The use of に implies a more unilateral conversation in which Masao is the one who furthers the conversation.
- E.g. 明は貴美子とぶつかった。[Akira bumped into Kimiko (mutually).]
- E.g. 明は貴美子にぶつかった。[Akira bumped into Kimiko (unilaterally).] This sentence implies that Akira bumped into Chris and that the two didn’t bump into one another.
- E.g. *明は柱とぶつかった。[Akira bumped into a post (mutually).] This sentence is unacceptable because Akira and a post can not mutually bump into one another. Akira must have been the one to bump into the post. Thus, と is ungrammatical.
- E.g. 明は柱にぶつかった。[Akira bumped into a post.]
- と (Reciprocal relationship) is commonly used with reciprocal verbs and adjectives such as 結婚する [To marry], けんかする [To fight], 話し合う [To discuss], 似る [To resemble], 違う [To differ], 同じだ [Identical], 一緒に [Together], et cetera.
- E.g. みどりはボブと結婚した。[Midori got married to Bob.]
Example Sentences:
私はアンディーと一緒にパーティーに行った。[I went to the party with Andy.]
トムはジョンとよくテニスをする。 [Tom often plays tennis with John.]
みどりはボブと結婚した。[Midori got married to Bob.]
この車はぼくの車と同じです。[This car is the same as mine.]
WILD Examples:
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