“〜mo 〜mo・〜mo naku”: Both 〜 and 〜 / Without Any 〜 [JLPT N3]

Content by NTJ Kuma · Nihongo to Japan editorial team · Updated July 27, 2026

The particle も used to include all or exclude all

「英語も日本語も話せる」 — 「も〜も・もなく」, both…and… / not even…

「彼は英語も日本語も、中国語も話せる」 (he can speak English, Japanese, and Chinese too) — 「も」 in series has two uses: ① 「noun も、noun も」 = “both ~ and ~, … and … all” (listing, all-inclusive); ② 「noun ＋ もなく」 = “not even ~” (all-excluding). This guide covers how 「も」 makes a range “all-inclusive” or “all-excluding,” and separates it from 「と〜と／さえ」.

Core: use 「も」 to make a range “all-inclusive” or “all-excluding”

The core of 「も」 is an “all” feel:

• Aも、Bも (＋ affirmative) = A, B, all … (all-inclusive): お金も時間もある (have both money and time).
• Aも、Bも (＋ negative) = A, B, none … (all-negating): お金も時間もない (have neither money nor time).
• noun ＋ もなく = not even ~ (all-excluding): 何の前触れもなく (without any warning).

Feel: using 「も」 to stress “all (are / aren't).”

How to Connect

Example sentences

• 彼は英語も日本語も流暢に話せる。(He speaks both English and Japanese fluently.) — all-inclusive
• この店はラーメンも餃子も絶品だ。(This shop's ramen and gyoza are both superb.) — all-inclusive
• お金も時間もなくて、旅行できない。(With neither money nor time, I can't travel.) — all-negating
• 何の前触れもなく、地震が起きた。(Without any warning, an earthquake struck.) — not even
• 彼は一言も言わず、部屋を出て行った。(He left the room without a single word.) — all-negating

⚠️ Where learners slip up

① Each listed item gets one 「も」 — don't double up or drop it. ✗ お金もも時間ない → ✓ お金も時間もない (one も after each item). When listing, 「noun も、noun も」 puts one 「も」 after each noun, no more, no fewer.

② i-adjectives change to 「く」 before も. ✗ 給料は高いも安いもない → ✓ 給料は高くも安くもない (neither high nor low). To attach i-adjectives to 「も〜も」 for “neither … nor …,” first change to the 「く」 form (高く／安く ＋ も).

③ 「もなく」 is more written. 「noun ＋ もなく (not even ~)」 is more written, narrative, common in news, novels, formal description (何の前触れもなく, 一言もなく, 惜しげもなく). Colloquially, “not even …” is more often 「〜も〜ない」 (何も言わない).

🔄 Compare with similar forms: も〜も／と〜と／もなく／さえ

💡 The key point in use

The core of 「も」 in series is using 「も」 to make a range “all-inclusive” or “all-excluding”: ① noun も、noun も ＋ affirmative = all … (英語も日本語も話せる = speaks both English and Japanese, with a “this too, that too, all” emphasis); ② ＋ negative = none … (お金も時間もない = neither money nor time); ③ noun ＋ もなく = not even ~ (前触れもなく = without warning, more written). Two points: ① each listed item gets one 「も」 (お金も時間も, don't drop one); ② i-adjectives change to く before も (高くも安くもない). Vs plain listing 「と〜と」: も〜も carries an “even this, all” emphasis. To stress “this too, that too, all (are/aren't),” も〜も is spot-on.

❓ Common questions

Q: How do I tell 「も〜も」 from 「と〜と」? (both list)

By “emphatic all-inclusion” vs “plain listing.” 「も〜も」 = A, B, all … (with an ‘even this too, all' emphasis): この料理は見た目も味も最高だ (this dish's looks and taste are both top — stressing both are), 彼は歌もダンスも上手だ (he's good at both singing and dancing — all of it). It carries a “not only … but even …” emphasis, more forceful in feel. 「と〜と」 = A and B (a plain, neutral listing, just naming two): りんごとみかんを買う (buy apples and oranges — plain listing), 田中さんと佐藤さんが来た (Tanaka and Sato came — listing subjects). It just objectively lists two, no special emphasis. So: to stress “this too, that too, all …” → も〜も (emphatic); a plain “A and B” → と〜と (neutral listing). Also, 「も〜も」 can take a negative for “none …” (お金も時間もない), while 「と〜と」 isn't used that way.

Q: How do I attach i-adjectives and verbs to 「も〜も」?

By word type: ① noun → add も directly: お金も時間も (attaches right after the noun). ② i-adjective → change to 「く」 form, then add も: 高い→高くも, 安い→安くも (高くも安くもない = neither expensive nor cheap). ✗ 高いも安いも (i-adjectives can't attach も directly). ③ verb → use the ‘renyōkei (ます-stem minus ます)' ＋ も ＋ する/しない, or 「〜も〜ば〜も」: 食べもしない、飲みもしない (eats nothing, drinks nothing); or 泣きもすれば笑いもする (both cries and laughs). Verbs are more complex; the most common is nouns (noun も noun も). Mnemonic: noun directly, i-adj to く, verb uses the renyōkei ＋ も. This lesson mainly tests the noun 「も〜も」 — just nail “one も after each noun.”

🖊️ Practice Questions (5)

Q1. 「彼は英語___日本語___話せる。」(can speak both English and Japanese)

(A) も、も　(B) は、は　(C) を、を　(D) で、で

Q2. 「何の前触れ___、地震が起きた。」(without any warning)

(A) もなく　(B) ばかり　(C) どころか　(D) ながら

Q3. 「お金も時間もない」の意味は?

(A) Neither money nor time (both lacking)

(B) Has money and time

(C) Has money but no time

(D) Only short on money

Q4. 「もなく」が表すのは?

(A) Not even ~ / without ~

(B) And moreover

(C) Because

(D) Although

Q5. 用法が自然なのは?

(A) 涙もなく、淡々と話した。　(B) お金もも時間ない。

(C) 頭もよくも。　(D) 説明もなくをした。

Answer Explanations

1. (A) も、も ── both ~ and ~ (parallel).

2. (A) もなく ── without any warning (not even ~).

3. (A) ── neither of the two.

4. (A) ── not even ~ / without ~.

5. (A) ── 「涙もなく」 (without even a tear) is natural.