To or two?
to is a particle meaning “A particle used for marking the following verb as an infinitive”; two is a number meaning “A numerical value equal to 2; the number following one and preceding three”. Use to as a particle and two as a number. In written English (wordfreq, 2021 data) to is about 21 times as common as two.
What is the difference between to and two?
| to | two | |
|---|---|---|
| Part of speech | particle, conjunction, preposition, adverb, noun, verb, prefix | number, noun |
| Meaning | A particle used for marking the following verb as an infinitive As above, with the verb implied In order to | A numerical value equal to 2; the number following one and preceding three Describing a set or group with two elements The digit/figure 2 |
| Example | I want to leave | The number 2202 contains three twos |
| Forms | ter, t', 2 | tew |
| Pronunciation | /t̪oː/ [t̪oː] | /tu/ [tʰu̟u] |
| In writing | 26,915 times per million words | 1,259 times per million words |
Sources: to and two in the English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0); written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
Every current meaning of to and two
to
- 1
A particle used for marking the following verb as an infinitive
I want to leave
- 2
In order to
I went to the shops to buy some bread
- 3
In the direction of; towards
She looked to the heavens
- 4
UKUSToward a closed, touching, or engaging position
Please push the door to
- 5
IndiacolloquialA filler word common amongst urban Indians
I am to so bored right now
- 6
Initialism of time-out
- 7
to organize a tournament, to be a TO
TOing
- 8
Parting: forming verbs that involve cleaving, breaking, or sundering
tocrack
two
- 1
A numerical value equal to 2; the number following one and preceding three
- 2
The digit/figure 2
The number 2202 contains three twos
- 3
Describing a set or group with two elements
- 4
USinformalA two-dollar bill
- 5
A child aged two
This toy is suitable for the twos and threes
- 6
A playing card featuring two pips
- 7
Two o'clock, either a.m. or p.m
- 8
Ellipsis of two shot
Source: the English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0); obsolete, archaic, dialect and rare senses left out.
Which is more common, to or two?
to appears 26,915 times per million words; two 1,259 times per million words.
to 26,915 times per million wordstwo 1,259 times per million words
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).