The Particle も II
In this lesson, we will learn how も is used with other parts of speech to mean “both/neither” as well as how it is heavily used with quantities.
Both X & Y/Neither X Nor Y 「Xも・・・Yも・・・」
Back in Lesson 23, we learned how the particle も may function as “both…and…” or “neither…nor…” when used after two or more nouns, but this grammar is actually not limited to nouns. In fact, it is possible to see this grammar applied after case particles and the 連用形 of adjectives and adjectival nouns.
Terminology Note: Remember that the 連用形, a.k.a, the continuative form is the base conjugation used with other endings such as ～た and ～て.
- [Noun + Case Particle + も] + [Noun + Case Particle + も] (+ [Noun + Case Particle + も]…)
Ex. 母にも父にも (to both mother and father/to neither mother and father) - [Adj. 連用形 (～く)] + も] + [Adj. 連用形 (～く)] + も ](+ [ Adj. 連用形 (～く)] + も]…)
Ex. 大きくも小さくもない (neither large nor small) - [Adj. Noun 連用形 (～で) + も] + [Adj. Noun 連用形 (～で) + も](+ [Adj. Noun 連用形 (～で) + も]…)
Ex. 学生でも子供でもない (neither a student nor a child)
The second and third of these three patterns are most often used in the negative sense, but this is not a requirement as some intermediate resources might have you expect. Naturally, instead of a negative form of ある, the verbal element to end the pattern in a positive context would be none other than ある itself. The adjectival phrases chosen, however, will need to compliment each other in context for the sentence to be natural.
Translation Note: When only X is present with も, も can be translated as “also/even.”
1. 日本へも配達できますか？
Can you also deliver to Japan?
2. 日本の携帯電話料金は、世界的に見てみると高くも安くもない、
When you look globally, cellphone bills in Japan are neither expensive nor cheap.
3. 特に便利でも不便でもない。
It’s neither particularly convenient nor inconvenient.
4. 兄にも姉にも伝えてます。
I’ve told both my older brother and older sister.
5. 美人でもなく（て）かわいくもない人に一目惚れすることはあるのか。
Do (people) even fall in love at first sight with people who aren’t even beautiful or cute?
Grammar Note: This sentence illustrates how the particle でも is simply the particle も after the 連用形 of the copula when used with a simple predicate composed of a noun. If the adjective かわいい had been placed at the start of the sentence, it would look simpler as only one instance of ない would be necessary, but the ordering of X, Y, Z, etc. is typically determined by significance, and since being beautiful is on a higher tier than being cute, it gets mentioned first. In either case, the particle も still makes its way after the 連用形 of two phrases, and the reason for why なく（て） must be used is because two clauses (predicates) are being joined together. Meaning, 美人でもない人 and かわいくもない人 can both constitute a valid phrase.
6. 現代英語に起こっている変化は大きくもあり小さくもある。
The changes occurring in Modern English are both large and small.
Emphasizing Quantity 極大値を示す「も」
The particle も may be seen following expressions of quantity to emphasize said quantity, distance, frequency, or time length. This translates into English “as many/much as,” “no fewer/less than,” or “as long a time as,” depending on the quantity that is being referenced. The amount indicated by も is a lot and could very well exceed the quantity stated, but that determination is based on context. With more exact amounts, this is less likely implied.
7. この耕運機は百万円もしたんだって！
I heard this cultivator cost as much as 1 million yen!
8. 3か月で5キロも太っちゃったよ。
I’ve gained 5 kilograms in 3 months!
9. コロナウイルスのため、もう３年も日本に帰っていません。
I haven’t gone home to Japan for as long as 3 years due to COVID.
10. 実母なんて10人も兄弟いるのに、誰一人と仲良くないし、誰の連絡先も知らないよ。
To think that my biological mother has 10 siblings yet isn’t close to a single one of them and doesn’t know any of their contact information.
11. 人間の背丈ほどもある雑草の中を探検すると蛇に出くわした。
I ran into a snake when I was exploring through weeds as tall as a person.
12. 五時間も待った。
I waited five hours!
The particle は also serves a similar function of emphasizing adverbial phrases, of which counter phrases are included, to describe “at least,” but when it is used as opposed to も, there is no sense of near disbelief as is often the case with も. Instead, は just emphasizes the estimate as a probable figure. In other words, it means “at least” in the sense of “around” without implying it’s possibly less than the figure given while also not being dramatic about it.
13. 他所で食べたら、8000円はしただろう。
If I had eaten (the same thing) elsewhere, it would have cost at least 8,000.
14. バブルの頃なら間違いなく一人1万円はしたような店が、今は5千円が当たり前になってきている。
Shops where it would have undoubtedly cost at least 10,000 yen a person during the bubble have now come to 5,000 yen now as the norm.
15. 5キロは太ったほうがいいと思うよ。
I think it would be good if you gained at least 5 kilograms.
16. 5時間はかかったかな。
I’d say it took at least 5 hours.
When the value before も is 1, も shows that as the minimum extent while suggesting that there could be more but that there is definitely more than 0.
17. たまには冷えた麦茶の一杯も出したらどうじゃ？
How about you bring out (at least) a glass of chilled barley tea once in a while?
Phrase Note: Note that じゃ is a dialectal variant of だ common throughout Western Japan.
Emphasizing Lack of Quantity 微小量を示す「も」
The particle も emphasizes sheer lack of quantity in negative contexts. This grammar is heavily used with counter expressions in the same way it is in the affirmative as we saw earlier. This grammar also applies when も is used in 少しも・ちっとも meaning “not at all.”
18. あのコンピューターは5万円もかからない。
That computer doesn’t even cost 50,000 yen.
19. インドネシア語を一言も話せません。
I cannot speak a word of Indonesian.
20. お酒は1滴も飲めないよ。
I can’t even a have a drop of alcohol.
21. 一晩で一冊も読めない。
I can’t even read a single book in one night.
22. 観客が1人もいない。
There isn’t a single spectator.
23. 喧嘩して怒らせてしまってから半年も会っていない。
Ever since we argued and I made (the person mad), we haven’t met since and it’s been half a year.
24. 昨夜は一睡もしてないわ。
I didn’t sleep a wink last night.
25. 少しも寒くないわ。
It’s not cold at all.
26. 借金などびた一文もない。
I don’t have a single bit of debt.
Word Note: 鐚（びた）refers to copper coins used in the past, of which 一文 was a small denomination. These phrases live on when describing have so little money with very negative connotations.
The particle は also similarly emphasizes quantity with negative questions, but instead of implying that something is “not even” remotely the case like the particle も does, it simply emphasizes that the quantity that does come about won’t exceed the stated figure.
27. 1時間はかからないかな？
I don’t think it’ll take an hour.
28. 確かに新品でも1万円はしないはず。
It really shouldn’t cost 10,000 yen even if it’s new.
Grammar Note: In Ex. 27, the “even” part of the sentence is actually expressed by none other than も.
Another application of も indicating an intense degree is in the adverbial phrase あまりにも which incidentally means “too much/excessive.”
29. ネット回線があまりにも遅すぎる。
My internet connection is far too slow.
30. 仕事であまりにも泊まりが多い。
I stay the night at work far too much.
31. あまりにも素敵な夜だから
Because it’s too much of a splendid evening
32. 歌があまりにも下手な人のことをどう思いますか？
What do you think of people who are too horrible at singing?
Quantity + もの 「数量＋もの」
Building from its use of emphasizing quantity, this grammar can actually be directly applied to noun phrases with the aid of the particle も to show an approximation worthy of notice/further scrutiny. The quantity indicated likely exceeds expectation.
33. 一億円もの大金
A large sum of money of 100 million yen
34. 何千匹ものゴキブリが潜んでいる。
Thousands of cockroaches are lurking.
35. 20万人もの犠牲者が出ました。
There were [at least/around] 200,000 victims.