～と (quotation)

• Reading: と
• Romaji: to
• Formation: Clause (plain form) + と + Verb of saying/thinking

Meaning

A quotation particle used to mark what someone said, thought, asked, or felt. It connects the quoted content to a verb of communication or cognition.

The particle と is one of the most fundamental tools for reported speech and thought in Japanese. It follows a clause and connects it to verbs such as 言う (say), 思う (think), 聞く (hear/ask), 考える (consider), and 感じる (feel). Unlike English, Japanese does not distinguish between direct and indirect quotation with punctuation alone — と serves both functions. When used with と思う, it expresses the speaker's personal opinion or belief. With と言う, it reports what someone said. The quoted clause often retains the tense and politeness level of the original utterance, particularly in direct quotation.

Examples

1. 先生は明日テストがあると言いました。 The teacher said there will be a test tomorrow.
2. 彼女はこの映画が面白いと思っています。 She thinks this movie is interesting.
3. 母に何時に帰るかと聞かれました。 My mother asked me what time I would come home.

Usage Guide

Context: spoken, written, everyday

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 天気予報では明日は晴れると言っていた。
• 彼は日本語が上手だと皆が認めている。
• 来年は海外に住みたいと考えています。

Don't Say

• 先生は明日テストがあるを言いました。(Using を instead of と — quotation requires the particle と, not を) → 先生は明日テストがあると言いました。
• 彼女が面白いだと思います。(Adding だ before と after an い-adjective — い-adjectives connect directly to と without だ) → 彼女が面白いと思います。

Origin & History

The quotation particle と has existed since Old Japanese, where it functioned similarly to mark reported speech. Its usage has remained stable across centuries of linguistic change.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal