Number + も

Emphatic Quantity

Level 2Sounds Like mo

The particle も, when placed after a quantity (Number + Counter), expresses the speaker's surprise or feeling that the amount is 'as many as' or 'as much as' something. It highlights that the number exceeds expectations.

How It Works

This pattern is used to show that the speaker finds a quantity to be impressive, excessive, or unexpectedly high.

1. Subjective Emphasis:
The number doesn't have to be objectively 'huge.' If you expected a coffee to cost 100 yen but it costs 500 yen, you can say 500円もする (It costs as much as 500 yen!). The emphasis is entirely based on the speaker's perspective.

2. Particle Placement:
When a counter is used to describe the amount of an object, the noun usually keeps its particle (like を or が), and も attaches directly to the counter.
Example: ケーキを３個も食べた (I ate as many as 3 pieces of cake).

3. Indefinite Large Quantities:
You can use this pattern with 何（なに） + counter + も to express 'many' or 'several' of something. For example, 何回も (many times) or 何人も (many people).

4. The 'Not Even One' Exception:
When used with the number 'one' (1 + Counter + も) followed by a negative verb, the meaning shifts to 'not even one,' emphasizing a total lack of something. For example: 一回も行かなかった (I didn't go even once).

Examples (5)

  1. 田中さんは車を５台も持っています。

    Mr. Tanaka owns as many as five cars.

    Word by Word: Tanaka-san (topic) cars (object) 5 (machines) even has.

    The speaker uses も to show they think five cars is a surprisingly large number for one person to own.

  2. 昨日は１０時間も寝てしまいました。

    Yesterday, I slept for a full ten hours.

    Word by Word: Yesterday (topic) 10 hours even slept (regret/completion).

    Here, も emphasizes that ten hours is a long time to sleep, perhaps more than the speaker intended.

  3. この辞書は２万円もしました。

    This dictionary cost as much as 20,000 yen.

    Word by Word: This dictionary (topic) 20,000 yen even did (cost).

    The speaker is expressing surprise at the high price of the dictionary.

  4. 漢字を１００個も覚えましたか。

    Did you memorize as many as 100 kanji?

    Word by Word: Kanji (object) 100 (small objects) even memorized (question)?

    The speaker is impressed by the quantity of kanji the listener has learned.

  5. 一回も日本に行ったことがありません。

    I have never been to Japan even once.

    Word by Word: One time even Japan to went experience (subject) is not.

    This demonstrates the negative usage: '1 + Counter + も + Negative' emphasizes a total zero.

Common Mistakes

  • Using も with を or が simultaneously when attached directly to the noun.

    りんごをもを食べました。
    りんごを５個も食べました。

    When emphasizing a quantity, も attaches to the counter. If you are using a counter adverbially, the noun retains its original particle like を. However, if も is attached directly to the noun to mean 'also,' it replaces を or が.

  • Using も with a negative verb to mean 'only'.

    １個も食べませんでした。(Intending: I only ate one)
    １個しか食べませんでした。

    １個も食べませんでした means 'I didn't eat even one.' To say 'only one' (implying a small amount), you must use しか〜ない.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Number + もLevel 2Emphatic Quantity

Learn This First

To understand 'number + も', you first need to be familiar with the basic inclusive function of the particle 'も' (also/too) and how Japanese uses counters to express quantities. This pattern builds on those concepts by using 'も' to express that a quantity is surprisingly high or more than expected.

Words in This Pattern