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PlainSpell

to

/t̪oː/particle, conjunction, preposition, adverb

to is spelled T-O: 2 letters and one syllable. It appears 26,915 times per million words in written English, the 2nd most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). People search “to vs too” about 18,100 times a month (Google, United States). As a particle, to means “A particle used for marking the following verb as an infinitive” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).

How many letters and syllables are in to?

Letters2: T-O
Syllables1 (from its American pronunciation)
In writing26,915 times per million words; the 2nd most frequent word form
Wrong spellings searchednone measured in search
Pairs people search

Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); Bing searches in the United States: the average month from September 2025 to August 2026 (Microsoft Advertising keyword data through DataForSEO, read September 30, 2026).

How common is to?

To appears 26,915 times per million words in written English, the 2nd most frequent word form in the list.

Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).

How do you pronounce to?

  • /t̪oː/
  • [t̪oː]

To has one syllable (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

Words people confuse with to

Word pairs people search, with the monthly searches for “a vs b” (G: Google, B: Bing, United States).

to vs too18,100 G
to vs two0 B

Also written: fi.

Sources: Google and Bing searches (September 2025 to August 2026, through DataForSEO); English Wiktionary (homophones, alternative spellings).

Forms of to

  • ter
  • t'
  • 2

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

What does to mean?

The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).

particle

  1. 1

    A particle used for marking the following verb as an infinitive.

    I want to leave.

  2. 2

    As above, with the verb implied.

    "Did you visit the museum?" "I wanted to, but it was closed."

  3. 3

    Used to indicate an obligation on the part of, or a directive given to, the subject.

    You are to go to the store and buy a bottle of milk.

  4. 4

    IndiacolloquialA filler word common amongst urban Indians.

    I am to so bored right now.

conjunction

  1. 1

    In order to.

    I went to the shops to buy some bread.

preposition

  1. 1

    In the direction of; towards.

    She looked to the heavens.

  2. 2

    Indicating destination or final position: In the direction of, so as to arrive at or reach.

    We are walking to the shop.

  3. 3

    Used to indicate the target or recipient of an action.

    I gave the book to him.

  4. 4

    So as to contact, press against, impact, etc.

    I fixed the notice to the wall.

  5. 5

    So as to become or reach: indicating a terminal state resulting from an action.

    His face was beaten to a pulp.

  6. 6

    So as to bring about or elicit (an effect or outcome).

    He made several bad-taste jokes to groans from the audience.

  7. 7

    Used after an adjective to indicate its application.

    similar to ..., relevant to ..., pertinent to ..., I was nice to him, he was cruel to her, I am used to walking.

  8. 8

    Indicating a degree or level reached.

    It was to a large extent true.

adverb

  1. 1

    UKUSToward a closed, touching, or engaging position.

    Please push the door to.

  2. 2

    Into the wind.

noun

as TO
  1. 1

    Initialism of time-out.

  2. 2

    Initialism of turnover.

  3. 3

    Initialism of tournament organizer.

verb

as TO
  1. 1

    to organize a tournament, to be a TO

    TOing

Usage

Wiktionary also records to as a common misspelling of another word in some uses; the senses above are its own.

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

To in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese

LanguageWords
French-er, -re, -ir (infinitive-marker), pour, afin de (in order to), à (used to indicate the indirect object)
Germanzu, -en (infinitive-marker), um … zu (in order to), in (in the direction of, and arriving at), dem, der (target or recipient of an action)
Portuguese-ar, -er, -or, -ir (infinitive-marker), para (in order to), a (used to indicate the indirect object)
Spanish-ar, -er, -ir (infinitive-marker), para (in order to), a (used to indicate the indirect object), que (particle used with infinitives)

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.

Where does to come from?

From Middle English to, from Old English tō, from Proto-Germanic *tō ~ *ta, from Proto-Indo-European *de ~ *do (“to”). Cognate with Scots tae, to (“to”), North Frisian to, tö, tu (“to”), Saterland Frisian tou (“to”), Low German to (“to”), Dutch toe, te (“to”), German zu (“to”), West Frisian ta (“to”). Non-Germanic cognates include Albanian ndaj (“towards”), Irish do (“to, for”), Breton da (“to, for”), Welsh i (“to, for”), Russian до (do, “to”).

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

What to look up after to