The particle も

N も N mo Also; too

も (mo) means "also" or "too". It sits right after the word it adds to, and it keeps the same form in negative sentences, where English says "either".

Level: JLPT N5, beginner
Type: Particles
English links: also, too and either, adverb placement, short answers, both and neither

What it means

も means "also" or "too". It goes straight after the word you add. 私も先生です means "I am a teacher too": someone else is a teacher, and so am I.

も takes the place of は, が and を. You do not say 私はも. Other particles stay, and も comes after them: 図書館にも (to the library too).

Position matters. 私もコーヒーを飲みます is "I drink coffee too" (like you do). 私はコーヒーも飲みます is "I drink coffee too" (as well as tea). The English sentence is the same; only the stress shows the difference.

も does not change in a negative sentence. 私も行きません is "I'm not going either". Use it twice and you get "both": 英語も数学も好きです (I like both English and maths). With a negative verb, A も B も means "neither A nor B".

How to build it

Pattern	How it works
Noun + も noun + mo	Replaces は, が or を. 私は → 私も; 水を → 水も.
Noun + particle + も noun + particle + mo	Other particles stay: 東京に → 東京にも; 友達と → 友達とも.
Noun + も + negative verb noun + mo + negative verb	Not ... either: 私も行きません (I'm not going either).
A も B も A mo B mo	Both A and B. With a negative verb: neither A nor B.

Examples

私も先生です。 watashi mo sensei desu. I'm a teacher too.
田中さんはコーヒーも飲みます。 tanaka-san wa koohii mo nomimasu. Tanaka-san drinks coffee as well.
明日も学校があります。 ashita mo gakkou ga arimasu. There's school tomorrow too.
私も行きません。 watashi mo ikimasen. I'm not going either.
英語も数学も好きです。 eigo mo suugaku mo suki desu. I like both English and maths.

How English says it

English has three words for も: "also", "too" and "as well". They go in different places. "Also" usually goes before the main verb, or after "be": "I also like tennis", "I am also tired". "Too" and "as well" go at the end.

In negative sentences, English changes the word: "I don't like natto either". In short replies, English has a set of phrases: "Me too" and "So do I" agree with a positive; "Me neither" and "Neither do I" agree with a negative.

Because "too" sits at the end, English does not show which word it adds to. Speakers use stress: "I drink coffee too" (stress on "I") or "I drink coffee too" (stress on "coffee").

Why it can make English hard

も is the same in positive and negative sentences, so many students use "too" for both: "I don't like it too".
Students learn "also" as the meaning of も and put it where も would go, right after the word: "I like also tennis" or "Also I like tennis".
In conversation, "Me too" is the reply students know best. You will often hear it after a negative, where English needs "Me neither".

Mistakes you will hear

I don't like natto too. I don't like natto either. 私も納豆が好きではありません. English switches "too" to "either" in a negative.
I like also baseball. I also like baseball. (or: I like baseball too.) "Also" goes before the main verb, not after it.
A: I don't have a pen. B: Me too. A: I don't have a pen. B: Me neither. Agreeing with a negative needs "Me neither" or "Neither do I".

In the classroom

Play "Me too / Me neither". Read out true and false sentences about yourself, some positive and some negative. Students hold up a card for the right reply.
Write "I like tennis" on the board and show three slots for the same idea: "I also like tennis", "I like tennis too", "I like tennis as well". Then do the same with "be": "I am also tired".
Say "I drink coffee too" twice, with stress on a different word each time. Students say what the other person drinks, or who else drinks coffee. It shows them that English uses the voice where Japanese uses position.

Practice

Try each one, then open it to check.

1. Fill the gap: 私＿学生です。 (I'm a student too.)

Answer: も

も replaces は and adds "too" to 私.
2. Fill the gaps: 月曜日＿火曜日＿テストがあります。 (There are tests on both Monday and Tuesday.)

Answer: も, も

A も B も means "both A and B".
3. Translate: 弟もサッカーをします。

Answer: My younger brother plays soccer too.

も comes after 弟, so the brother is the one you add: someone else plays, and he does too.
4. A friend says "I'm not hungry." A student replies "Me too." Fix it.

Answer: Me neither. (or: Neither am I.)

The first sentence is negative, so English uses "neither", not "too".