Interrogative + も Posted by Ginny on Apr 23, 2010 in Grammar
The use of an interrogative + も is interesting in that it has different meanings based on whether it’s used in affirmative sentences or negative sentences :
いつ (when) + も = always, all the time
(1) 真弓の母はいつも忙しい = Mayumi’s mother is always busy
(まゆみ/真弓 = Mayumi. の = possessive particle. はは/母 = mother. は = particle. いつも = always. いそがしい/忙しい = busy)
But いつ (when) + も can also mean “never”
(2) 私は日曜日にいつも家にいない = I’m never home on Sundays
(わたし/私 = I. は= particle. にちようび/日曜日 = Sunday. にいつも = never. いえ/家 = house. に = particle. いない = not here)
どこ (where) + も can mean everywhere
どこも同じですか = Is it the same everywhere?
(どこも = everywhere. おなじ/同じ = same. です = is. か = question particle)
どこ (where) + も can mean nowhere
どこも行くところがありません = I have nowhere to go
(どこも = nowhere. いく/行く = to go. ところ = place. が = particle. ありません = have)
However, the word for “everyone” in the affirmative is not だれも, it’s actually みんな or みなさん. When used in negative sentences, “no one” will be だれも, which is a combination of だれ (who) and も. When you want to be polite, you can use どなたも instead of だれも.
As a general rule, an interrogative + も will mean things like, “everyone”, “always”, “everywhere” in affirmative sentences, but an interrogative + も in negative sentences will mean, “no one”, “never”, “nowhere”.
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