particle N2 uncommon casualwrittenliterary
とも — of course / certainly (emphatic)
とも
Meaning
- of course / certainly / absolutely — a sentence-final particle giving an emphatic, unhesitating affirmative answer
Key sentence
「手伝ってくれる?」「いいとも。」
'Will you help me?' 'Of course.'
Formation
| Attaches to | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb/adjective (plain form) | [plain affirmative] + とも | 行くとも |
When: Confident and a little old-fashioned/masculine; answers a question with no room for doubt.
Examples
もちろん覚えているとも。
Of course I remember.
そうとも、君の言う通りだ。
Certainly — it's just as you say.
Easily confused with
Notes
- Distinct from concessive 〜とも 'even if' (どんなに高くとも) and quotative 〜とも — those attach differently and mean something else.
See とも in real sentences
Jengo shows とも the way you actually meet it: inside real Japanese sentences, so it sticks instead of staying an abstract rule.
Study it in JengoSources Compiled with reference to A Dictionary of Advanced Japanese Grammar, A Dictionary of Intermediate Japanese Grammar.