Listing Items: と / や
Learn how to list items using と (exhaustive) and や (non-exhaustive examples).
Key Expressions
| Hiragana | Romaji | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| A と B | to | A and B (exhaustive list) | particle |
| A や B | ya | A, B, etc. (examples) | particle |
と (And) - Exhaustive List
A と B
Use と when listing ALL items - it's an exhaustive list.
Examples
- すし と てんぷら が あります - There's sushi and tempura.
- sushi to tempura ga arimasu
- りんご と みかん を かいました - I bought apples and oranges.
- ringo to mikan wo kaimashita
- いぬ と ねこ が います - There's a dog and a cat.
- inu to neko ga imasu
Key Points
- Lists are complete and exhaustive
- Nothing else exists beyond what you listed
- You can connect multiple items: A と B と C
や (Or More) - Non-Exhaustive Examples
A や B
Use や when giving examples - there are more items not mentioned.
Examples
- パスタ や ピザ を たべません - I can't eat food like pasta or pizza.
- pasuta ya piza wo tabemasen
- すし や みそ が あります - There's sushi or miso or more...
- sushi ya miso ga arimasu
- ほん や ざっし を よみます - I read books, magazines, and such.
- hon ya zasshi wo yomimasu
Key Points
- Lists are incomplete examples
- Implies there are other similar items not mentioned
- More casual and conversational than と
- Literally means "things like A and B"
Quick Comparison
と (Exhaustive): All items listed, nothing more
や (Examples): Some items listed, implies more exist
Example Comparison
- すし と てんぷら を たべます → I'll eat sushi and tempura (only these two)
- すし や てんぷら を たべます → I'll eat things like sushi and tempura (and maybe other things too)
と has another use
と can also connect two clauses to express a natural consequence: when A happens, B follows. See the Conditional: と article for more.
Next Steps
Once you're comfortable with this lesson, check out: