tomodachi to kenka o shita ato, sukoshi sabishii desu.

to be

Breakdown of tomodachi to kenka o shita ato, sukoshi sabishii desu.

• を: direct object particle
• 友とも達だち: friend
• と: companion particle

Questions & Answers about tomodachi to kenka o shita ato, sukoshi sabishii desu.

Why is the particle と used after 友達 here? I thought と mainly means and.

In this sentence, と after 友達 means with (as in “fight *with my friend”), not *and.

と has several main uses:

1. AとB = A and B (listing things)
2. AはBとCをする = A does C *with B
   
   • Example: *
   友達と遊ぶ = play with a friend - 友達とけんかする = fight/quarrel with a friend
3. Quotation marker (と言う, と思う, etc.)

Here it’s use (2): 友達とけんかをした = had a fight *with my friend*.

What exactly is けんか and why do we say けんかをする instead of just a verb?

けんか is a noun meaning fight, argument, or quarrel.

Japanese often makes verbs from nouns by using 〜をする:

• 勉強 (study) → 勉強をする to study
• 運動 (exercise) → 運動をする to exercise
• けんか (fight) → けんかをする to fight / to argue

In casual speech, people often drop を and even する when context is clear:

• 昨日、友達とけんかした。 (ここでは を is omitted)
• Dictionary form: けんかする
• Past form: けんかした

So in this sentence:

• けんかをした = けんかした = fought / had a quarrel.