Breakdown of asa ha wo migaku to, itai tokoro ga sukosi yoku naru.
をwo
direct object particle
がga
subject particle
朝asa
morning
とto
conditional particle
なるnaru
to become
少しsukosi
a little
歯ha
tooth
痛いitai
painful
磨くmigaku
to brush
ところtokoro
spot
よくyoku
well
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Questions & Answers about asa ha wo migaku to, itai tokoro ga sukosi yoku naru.
Why is the conditional と used in 磨くと instead of たら or ば?
- Verb(dict form) + と expresses a general condition or natural consequence that always follows.
- It’s used for habitual actions or universal truths, so here it means “whenever I brush my teeth…”
- たら often refers to a specific or one-time condition (“if/after I brush”), and ば carries a more formal or hypothetical nuance.
Why isn’t there a particle like に after 朝?
Time words such as 朝, 昼, 夜 can act adverbially without particles. The comma (、) marks a pause. You could also say 朝に歯を磨くと, but dropping に is common in casual speech and writing.
Why is there a comma after と?
Japanese often uses a comma (読点) to separate the protasis (the “if/when” clause ending in と) from the apodosis (the main result clause). It’s optional but helps clarify where the condition ends.
What does 痛いところ refer to?
ところ literally means “place” or “spot.” In 痛いところ, it refers to the spot in your mouth that hurts (for example, a sensitive tooth or gum). It’s a natural way to indicate a painful part of the body.
Why is よくなる used instead of 治る or 良くする?
- よくなる is intransitive (“to become better”), focusing on the state improving by itself.
- 治る usually describes medical healing of illnesses or injuries.
- 良くする is transitive (“to make something better”), implying someone actively fixes it.
Here, you’re simply describing the pain easing on its own, so よくなる is the most fitting choice.
What role does 少し play, and why is it placed before よくなる?
少し means “a little.” It modifies よくなる, indicating the degree of improvement (“becomes a little better”). It naturally appears before the verb or adjective it qualifies.
Why is the subject (“I”) missing in this sentence?
In Japanese, subjects are often omitted when they can be inferred from context. Here it’s clear the speaker is brushing their own teeth, so 私は isn’t necessary.
Is this sentence formal or informal?
This sentence is in the plain (casual) style:
- Verbs appear in dictionary form (磨く, なる) rather than polite ～ます form.
- There is no polite copula です.
It’s suitable for personal journals, casual conversation, or informal writing.