また: Also / Moreover / Again | Japanese Grammar

また is one of those small words that hides two completely different jobs behind a single spelling and a single reading (mata). One また is a connector — sentence-initial "also / moreover / in addition," the flat additive you meet in formal writing and presentations. The other また is an adverb — "again," the one in また来ます ("I'll come again"). They are spelled identically and read identically, so the only thing that separates them is where they sit in the sentence. Learn to read that positional cue and the ambiguity dissolves; ignore it and you will misread half the また you meet.

The connector また: "moreover, also, in addition"

At the head of a sentence, followed by a comma, また adds a second, coordinate point to the one just made. It is parallel, not escalating: it says "and here is another fact of equal weight," the way English "also" or "moreover" or "in addition" does. This is a formal-leaning connector — you see it constantly in written Japanese, reports, and spoken presentations, and less in casual chat.

彼は医者だ。また、作家でもある。

kare wa isha da. mata, sakka de mo aru

He is a doctor. Moreover, he is also a writer.

このプランは費用が安い。また、導入も簡単だ。

kono puran wa hiyō ga yasui. mata, dōnyū mo kantan da

This plan is cheap. In addition, it's easy to implement.

Because it introduces a coordinate item, connective また is the natural glue in enumerations — listing points that stand side by side.

第一に、コストが高い。また、納期も長い。

dai-ichi ni, kosuto ga takai. mata, nōki mo nagai

First, the cost is high. Also, the delivery time is long.

💡

Connective また is flat, not escalating. It piles a second fact next to the first at the same level. If the second point outweighs the first — "and, going further, even more so" — you want さらに, which builds a rising argument. また just says "also."

The adverb また: "again"

Move the same word inside the clause, in front of a verb, and it means "again." No comma, no sentence-initial stance — it modifies the verb the way any adverb does.

また会いましょう。

mata aimashō

Let's meet again.

あ、またパスワードを間違えた。

a, mata pasuwādo o machigaeta

Ah, I got the password wrong again.

This adverbial また lives in the fixed farewell phrases every learner meets early — またね ("see you"), また明日 ("see you tomorrow"), また今度 ("some other time"). These are all "again," not "moreover."

じゃあ、また明日。

jā, mata ashita

Okay, see you tomorrow.

Position is the whole distinction

Because the spelling and reading are identical, Japanese leans entirely on placement and pause to disambiguate. Internalize this table and you will never misread また again:

Where また sits	Function	Meaning
Sentence-initial + comma (また、…)	Connector	"also / moreover / in addition"
Inside the clause, before a verb	Adverb	"again"

The danger case is when また lands early in a clause and could be read either way. Watch:

彼はまた医者だ。

kare wa mata isha da

He is a doctor again. (adverb — e.g. he requalified)

That sentence means "he is again a doctor" — the adverb reading — because また sits inside the clause after は. To say "he is also a doctor," you must either move また to the front of its own sentence (also, …) or use the particle も on the noun:

彼も医者だ。

kare mo isha da

He too is a doctor.

That is the crux for English speakers: English "also" is one word doing both the "in addition" and the "as well" jobs, but Japanese splits them. A whole coordinate clause is added with connective また; a single item ("him too," "this one as well") is marked with the particle も inside the clause. Reaching for また where も is needed produces the accidental "again" reading above.

Register and casual alternatives

Connective また belongs to written and formal-spoken Japanese — essays, business email, news, presentations. In casual conversation, adding a parallel point more often uses それに ("plus, besides") or the very colloquial あと ("and, oh and"). Using また to link points in a chat with friends is not wrong, but it can sound a touch bookish.

この店、料理おいしいよ。あと、値段も安いし。

kono mise, ryōri oishii yo. ato, nedan mo yasui shi

This place has great food. And it's cheap too. (casual)

The adverb また ("again"), by contrast, is register-neutral — またね and また会いましょう are used by everyone, everywhere.

Common mistakes

Mistake 1 — Reading connective また as "again" (or the reverse). The identical spelling makes this the classic slip; position resolves it.

❌ 品質がいい。また、値段も安い → 'The quality is good. The price is cheap again.'

Wrong reading — sentence-initial また + comma is the connector 'also,' not 'again': 'The quality is good. Also, the price is cheap.'

✅ 品質がいい。また、値段も安い。

hinshitsu ga ii. mata, nedan mo yasui

The quality is good. Also, the price is cheap.

Mistake 2 — Using また mid-clause to mean "also." Inside the clause, また reads as "again"; to add a single item, use the particle も.

❌ 私はまた学生だ。（「私も学生だ」のつもりで）

Wrong — this says 'I'm a student again.' To say 'I too am a student,' mark the noun with も.

✅ 私も学生だ。

watashi mo gakusei da

I'm a student too.

Mistake 3 — Dropping the comma after connective また. In writing, the comma is what visually flags the connector; without it the reader defaults to the "again" reading.

❌ 安い。また安全だ。

Ambiguous — without the comma this leans toward 'it's cheap; it's safe again.' Write また、安全だ to mark the connector clearly.

✅ 安い。また、安全だ。

yasui. mata, anzen da

It's cheap. Also, it's safe.

Mistake 4 — Using formal また in casual speech. Grammatical, but stiff among friends; reach for それに or あと.

❌（友達に）映画おもしろかった。また、音楽もよかった。

Too formal for casual chat — sounds like a review. With friends use それに / あと.

✅ 映画おもしろかった。それに、音楽もよかった。

eiga omoshirokatta. sore ni, ongaku mo yokatta

The movie was fun. Plus, the music was good too.

Key takeaways

また is two words in one spelling: a sentence-initial connector ("also / moreover") and an in-clause adverb ("again").
Position decides: at the front of a sentence with a comma → "moreover"; before a verb inside the clause → "again."
Connective また adds a flat, coordinate point; for an escalating addition use さらに.
To add a single item ("me too," "this one also"), use the particle も inside the clause — not また, which would read as "again."
Connective また is formal/written; casual speech prefers それに or あと. The adverb また ("again," またね, また明日) is register-neutral.

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