The particle や

A や B A ya B A, B, and other similar things

や (ya) joins nouns like と, but the list is not complete: "A, B and things like that". English needs words like "such as" or "things like".

Level: JLPT N5, beginner
Type: Particles
English links: lists, such as and like, coordinating conjunctions

What it means

や joins nouns, just like と. The difference is that や gives examples. 本やノート means "books, notebooks and things like that". There are other things too, but you do not name them.

You will often see など at the end: 本やノートなど. It means "and so on", and it makes the open list clear. Without など, the meaning is the same.

Like と, や joins nouns only. In casual speech, people often use とか instead: 本とかノートとか. It is very common in the staff room and with students.

How to build it

Pattern	How it works
Noun + や + noun noun + ya + noun	A list of examples: りんごやみかん (apples, mandarins and so on).
A や B など A ya B nado	など adds "and so on" and makes the open list clear.
A とか B (とか) A toka B (toka)	Casual spoken version. Not used in formal writing.

Examples

かばんの中に本やノートがあります。 kaban no naka ni hon ya nooto ga arimasu. There are books, notebooks and other things in my bag.
休みの日は掃除や洗濯をします。 yasumi no hi wa souji ya sentaku o shimasu. On my days off, I do things like the cleaning and the laundry.
京都や奈良へ行きました。 kyouto ya nara e ikimashita. I went to places like Kyoto and Nara.
朝ご飯にパンや果物などを食べます。 asagohan ni pan ya kudamono nado o tabemasu. For breakfast I eat things like bread and fruit.
教室には辞書や地図などがあります。 kyoushitsu ni wa jisho ya chizu nado ga arimasu. In the classroom there are dictionaries, maps and so on.

How English says it

English has no single word for や. It uses phrases instead: "such as", "like", "things like", "and so on", "and other things". In speech, "and stuff" or "or something" are common. "Etc." is mostly for writing.

English often needs a group word before the examples: "places like Kyoto and Nara", "sports such as tennis and swimming". Japanese can leave the group word out.

Why it can make English hard

English has no particle for an open list, so students reach for "etc." in speech, or add "and so on" after every list.
Some students translate や as "or", because the items are only examples: "I went to Kyoto or Nara".
Japanese needs no group word with や. In English, "I went to like Kyoto and Nara" sounds odd without "places".
Students sometimes use "such as" and "and so on" together, so the list is open twice.

Mistakes you will hear

I went to Kyoto, Nara, etc. I went to places like Kyoto and Nara. "Etc." is for writing. In speech, use "places like" or "and other places".
I ate bread or fruit for breakfast. I ate things like bread and fruit for breakfast. や is not "or". The student ate both, and maybe more.
I like sports such as soccer, basketball and so on. I like sports such as soccer and basketball. "Such as" already shows the list is open. Drop "and so on".

In the classroom

Draw two shopping bags. The first has a full list with と: "milk and eggs". The second has a list with や and three dots: "things like milk and eggs". Students say which bag has more in it.
Play a "such as" chain. You say a group word, like "fruit" or "school subjects". A student answers with two examples: "fruit such as apples and bananas".
For weekend diaries, give students the frame "On Saturday I did things like ... and ...". It gives them a natural way to say や in English.

Practice

Try each one, then open it to check.

1. Fill the gap: 机の上に本＿ペンがあります。 (There are books, pens and other things on the desk.)

Answer: や

The list is only examples, so it takes や.
2. と or や? 家族は父と母＿姉です。 (My family is my father, my mother and my sister.)

Answer: と

This is the whole family, a full list, so it takes と.
3. A student says "I bought milk, eggs, etc. at the supermarket." Fix it.

Answer: I bought things like milk and eggs at the supermarket.

"Etc." is for writing. "Things like" is the natural spoken way to give examples.
4. Translate: 日曜日はテニスや買い物をします。

Answer: On Sundays I do things like play tennis and go shopping.

や gives examples, so English adds "things like". Each activity also needs its own verb.