Provided are a liquid crystal composition in which vertical alignment of liquid crystal molecules can be achieved by action of a polymer, and a liquid crystal display device including the composition. The composition is a nematic liquid crystal composition that has negative dielectric anisotropy and contains a specific liquid crystal compound having large negative dielectric anisotropy as a first component and a polar compound having a polymerizable group as a first additive, and may contain a specific liquid crystal compound having high maximum temperature or small viscosity as a second component, a specific liquid crystal compound having large negative dielectric anisotropy as a third component, and a polymerizable compound as a second additive, and the liquid crystal display device includes the composition.