Study Resource: Question word + も (mo)
When we add も[mo] after a question word, we get an expression with an all or nothing meaning like “everywhere” or “nowhere.” To create a negative sentence with a question word + も[mo], we must also negate the verb. Some question words can only be used with も[mo] in negative sentences.
Affirmative Sentences | Negative Sentences | |
|---|---|---|
なにも nani mo | ❌ | (not) anything; nothing 霧でなにも見えない。 Kiri de nani mo mienai. I can’t see anything due to the fog. |
だれも dare mo | ❌ | (not) anyone; no one; nobody この部屋にはだれもいない。 Kono heya ni wa daremo inai. No one is in this room. |
いつも itsu mo | always メイちゃんはいつも元気だ。 Mei chan wa itsumo genki da. Mei is always full of energy. | never 姉はいつも朝ごはんを食べない。 Ane wa itsumo asagohan o tabenai. My elder sister never eats breakfast. |
どこも doko mo | everywhere 金曜日の夜はどこも混んでいる。 Kin’yōbi no yoru wa doko mo kondeiru. On Friday nights, it’s crowded everywhere. | (not) anywhere; nowhere もうどこも痛くない。 Mō doko mo itakunai. It doesn’t hurt anywhere now. |
どちらも dochira mo | both どちらもおいしいですよ。 Dochira mo oishii desu yo. Both of them are tasty, you know. | neither どちらもまだいらしていません。 Dochira mo mada irashite imasen. Neither of them have come yet. |
どれも dore mo | everything; all of them どれも同じに見える。 Dore mo onaji ni mieru. They all look the same. | (not) any of them; none of them どれも気に入らない。 Dore mo ki ni iranai. None of them are to my taste. |
どうも dō mo | somehow 今回はどうもやめておいた方がよさそうだ。 Konkai wa dō mo yameta hō ga yosasōda. This time it somehow seems as if I better refrain from doing it. | somehow 今日はどうも調子がでない。 Kyō wa dōmo chōshi ga denai. Somehow I’m not on top form today. |
どうしても dōshite mo | at any cost; by all means その会にはどうしても出たい。 Sono kai ni wa dōshite mo detai. I want to attend the meeting at any cost. | no matter what どうしても悪い癖が治らない。 Dōshite mo warui kuse ga naoranai. No matter what (I do), I can’t fix my bad habits. |
