も
- 1Marks someone or something as additionally included.Ex. 1
- 2With a question word and a negative predicate, indicates that no instance applies.Ex. 2
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も is neutral and common in speech and writing. It can add an item to an established context or, with a question word and a negative predicate, rule out every instance. Paired items marked with も can mean “both” with an affirmative predicate or “neither” with a negative one.
Do not put も after は or が; use も in their place.
Note that を usually gives way to も, but formal writing can retain it, as in 彼をも納得させた.
Do not use 何も with an affirmative predicate to mean “anything”; use 何でも instead.
- さえN3「さえ」 cites an extreme or bare-minimum example to mean 'even...' and imply the same extends to other cases; it can also express 'even...' when a situation worsens. 「も」 simply adds another item of the same kind, and in negative sentences the two are sometimes interchangeable, though 「も」 sounds less surprising.
- でもN5Attached to a noun as a whole, 「でも」 does not mean 'also' but instead gives a tentative example ('...or the like') or an extreme one ('even if...'); with question words, 「何でも」 expresses blanket affirmation while 「何も」 must take a negative to express blanket negation. The two cannot be interchanged.
- (で)すらN1「すら」 means 'even...' and must cite an extreme or unexpected example, often with surprise or displeasure, and it leans toward written style; 「も」 adds 'also,' forms blanket negation with question words, or emphasizes a large quantity, in a neutral register. The two are generally not interchangeable.
- やN5「や」 is used only between nouns, citing a few representative items and implying there are others ('...and ... and so on'); 「も」 adds 'also,' can pair with question words and a negative for blanket negation, and attaches to quantity words to emphasize a large amount. The two cannot be interchanged.
- とN5「と」 connects nouns to mean 'and' or marks the companion in 'with...,' and attached to a clause it also means 'as soon as...'; 「も」 means 'also,' blanket negation, or a large quantity. The two cannot be interchanged, but they can combine into 「とも」.
- だけN5「も」 adds another item of the same kind ('also'), while 「だけ」 limits the scope and excludes the rest ('only'), so their meanings are opposite and they cannot be interchanged. With quantity words, 「三時間も」 emphasizes a large amount, while 「三時間だけ」 means limited to exactly that amount.
さえ and (で)すら emphasize an extreme case (“even”), whereas も ordinarily marks inclusion; だけ means “only.” や and と link nouns, while も marks inclusion; with question words, も pairs with negation in 何も～ない, whereas でも can pair with an affirmative in 何でもいい.
