Too and To (The Difference)

The Quick Answer
What is the difference between too and to?

Too

(1) Too means as well. For example:
  • Your eye is swollen. Your lip is swollen too.
(2) Too conveys the idea of in excess. For example:
  • Your cat is too fat.

To

(1) To is a preposition. For example:
  • Give it to him.
(2) To shows the infinitive form of a verb. For example:
  • I want to run.

Too and To

There is often confusion over the words too and to. Both words have two uses. This infographic summarizes the different uses of to and too:

Too

Too has two uses:

(1) Too means as well or also.
  • I can do it too.
  • Did you think that too?
Read more about too meaning as well or also.

(2) Too portrays the idea of in excess or more than it should be.
  • This cat is too chubby.
  • The shoes were too expensive.
  • I'm glad to hear you smoke. A man should always have an occupation of some kind. There are far too many idle men in London as it is. (Oscar Wilde)
Read more about too meaning in excess.

To

To has two uses:

(1) To is used in expressions like to walk, to run, to paint, etc. (These are all verbs in their infinitive forms.)
  • I want to run around the planet.
  • Did you tell her what to think?
  • I'm glad to hear you smoke. A man should always have an occupation of some kind. There are far too many idle men in London as it is. (Oscar Wilde)
Read more about to show the infinitive form.

(2) To is used in expressions like to the park, to the postman, and agree to a proposal. (The word to in these examples is a preposition.)
  • She handed the parcel to the stranger.
  • I am going to the park.
Read more about to used as a preposition.

See Also

adverse or averse? affect or effect? appraise or apprise? avenge or revenge? bare or bear? complement or compliment? dependant or dependent? discreet or discrete? disinterested or uninterested? e.g. or i.e.? envy or jealousy? imply or infer? its or it's? material or materiel? poisonous or venomous? practice or practise? principal or principle? tenant or tenet? who's or whose?
What are nouns? What are verbs? List of easily confused words