と同じ

Same as

Level 2Sounds Like toonaji

The pattern [Noun] + と同じ（とおなじ） means 'the same as [Noun]'. It is the standard way to express equality or identity between two things in Japanese.

How It Works

1. Basic Structure
The most common usage is [Noun A] は [Noun B] と同じです (A is the same as B).
Example: これと同じものをください (Please give me the same one as this).

2. Connecting to Verbs
To compare actions, you must use a nominalizer to turn the verb into a noun phrase. Use の for concrete things or こと for abstract ideas and formal contexts.
Example (Concrete): 私が買ったのと同じ (The same [one] as what I bought).
Example (Abstract): 彼が言うことと同じ (The same [thing] as what he says).

3. The Irregular Nature of 同じ
Although 同じ behaves like a な-adjective, it is irregular. When it directly modifies a noun, you do not use な.
✅ 同じ本 (The same book)
❌ 同じな本

4. Adverbial Use: と同じように
To say 'in the same way as' or 'just like', you can use the adverbial form と同じように.
Example: 彼と同じように話したい (I want to speak in the same way as him).

5. Nuance
In English, we might say 'like' to mean 'similar', but in Japanese, と同じ is stronger. It implies that the two things are indistinguishable in category, quality, or identity.

Examples (4)

  1. 君のペンは僕のと同じだ。

    Your pen is the same as mine.

    Word by Word: Your pen (topic) my (one) with same is.

    Here, the possessive の acts as a pronoun ('mine') before the comparison pattern.

  2. 昨日と同じ時間に家を出ました。

    I left the house at the same time as yesterday.

    Word by Word: Yesterday with same time at house (object) left.

    同じ directly modifies the noun 時間（じかん） without using the particle な.

  3. あの人が食べているのと同じものをください。

    Please give me the same thing that person is eating.

    Word by Word: That person (subject) eating (nominalizer) with same thing (object) please.

    The nominalizer の is used to turn the clause 'what that person is eating' into a noun phrase.

  4. このカバンは、田中さんのと同じですね。

    This bag is the same as Tanaka-san's, isn't it?

    Word by Word: This bag (topic), Tanaka-san's (one) with same is, right?

    The particle ね is added at the end to seek agreement.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the particle に instead of と.

    これに同じです。
    これと同じです。

    In standard Japanese, the particle と is required for comparisons of equality with 同じ.

  • Adding な when modifying a noun.

    同じな人ですね。
    同じ人ですね。

    Unlike most な-adjectives, 同じ does not take な when it comes right before a noun.

  • Forgetting the nominalizer when comparing actions.

    食べると同じです。
    食べるのと同じです。

    You cannot attach と同じ directly to a verb. You must use の to make it a noun first.

How It Connects

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

と同じLevel 2Same as

Learn This First

To understand 'と同じ' (the same as), you need to know how the particle 'と' functions to link two things in a relationship. You also need a basic grasp of Japanese sentence structure to correctly place the nouns being compared.

Words in This Pattern