[Serie: All About Japanese Particles]
1. Used after numbers and counters: “both, all (three, etc.).”
ここにいる人たちは、3人とも大学で言語学を勉強しました。
Koko ni iru hitotachi wa, sannin tomo daigaku de gengō-gaku o benkyō shimashita.
All three of the people here studied linguistics in college. (Lit., As for the people who are here, all three …)
このセーターは、2枚ともMサイズですか。
Kono sētā wa, nimai tomo M-saizu desu ka.
Are both of these sweaters mediums?
2. After the -ku form of adjectives, indicates an approximate maximum or minimum: “at the least, most, latest, etc.”
この家なら、少なくとも1億円はするでしょう。
Kono ie nara, sukunaku tomo ichioku-en wa suru deshō.
This house would cost at least 100 million yen.
この事故で死んだ人は、多くとも100人ぐらいだろう。
Kono jiko de shinda hito wa, ōku tomo hyakunin gurai darō.
The [number of] fatalities in this accident was 100 people at most.
3. Indicates inclusion: “including.”
サービス料とも合計1万5000円です。
Sābisu-ryō tomo gōkei ichiman-gosen-en desu.
The total is ¥115,000 including the service charge.
運賃ともで、5万円になりますが。
Unchin tomo de, goman-en ni narimasu ga.
It comes to 150,000, including freight.
4. Used after the –ō form of a verb, adds emphasis to a supposition: “even if, no matter.”
あの人ならどんなことがあろうとも、最後まで頑張るだろう。
Ano hito nara donna koto ga arō tomo, saigo made ganbaru darō.
No matter what happens, he (if anyone) will stick it out to the bitter end.
明日は雪が降ろうとも、行くつもりだ。
Ashita wa yuki ga furō tomo, iku tsumori da.
Even if it should snow tomorrow, I intend to go.
*5.In the form tomo arō (noun) ga: “of all people (things).”
首相ともあろう人が、そんなことをして平気だとは信じられない。
Shushō tomo arō hito ga, sonna koto o shite heiki da to wa shinji-rarenai.
For the prime minister, of all people, to do something like that and be calm [about it] is unbelievable. / I can’t believe that someone in the position of prime minister could do some-thing like that without the slightest qualm.
大学の学長ともあろう人が、あんなにビジョンがないのでは困る。
Daigaku no gakuchō tomo arō hito ga, anna ni bijon ga nai no de wa komaru.
For the president of the university, of all people, to be so lacking in vision is a problem (troublesome). / We’re in trouble (in a fix, in bad shape) if the person who is supposed to be the presi-dent of the university is so lacking in vision.
6. Appearing after two words of opposite meaning and followed by ienai “can’t say (yes) or (no).”
多田さんは、あの映画はいいとも悪いとも言えないと言ってました。
Tada-san wa, ano eiga wa ii tomo warui tomo ienai to itte mashita.
Tada said that he couldn’t say whether the movie was good or bad. / Tada said that it was hard to say whether the movie was good or bad.
その値段は、高いとも安いとも言えませんね。
Sono nedan wa, takai tomo yasui tomo iemasen ne.
It’s hard to say whether the price is high or low.
7. At the end of a sentence, adds decisiveness to a positive state-ment: “indeed, certainly, of course.”
この本を借りていいですか。
いいとも。
Kono hon o karite ii desu ka.
li tomo.
May I borrow this book?
Certainly.
明日の試合に行きますか。
行くとも。
Ashita no shiai ni ikimasu ka.
lku tomo.
Are you going to the game tomorrow?
I certainly am.
– Source: All about particles – A handbook of Japanese function words –
