Listing Examples with や / など

Show non-exhaustive lists naturally and avoid the common mistake of using と when you only mean examples.

Use や to list representative examples instead of a complete set.Add など to make “and so on” even clearer.Distinguish exhaustive lists with と from example lists with や.

Guided study

Using や for example lists

や connects nouns when you want to give examples instead of a full list. It suggests that other similar things may also be included.

机の上に本やノートがあります。

There are books, notebooks, and other things on the desk.

や shows that books and notebooks are examples of the things on the desk.

スーパーでりんごやバナナを買った。

I bought apples, bananas, and other things at the supermarket.

The list gives sample things bought at the supermarket.

教室には先生や学生がいました。

There were teachers, students, and other people in the classroom.

Teachers and students are examples of the people in the classroom.

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