do such things as A and B (たり〜たり) – Japanese Grammar たり〜たり (tari~tari)

Q: What JLPT level is たり〜たり?

JLPT N5 — Beginner · Basic sentence structures

Q: How do you use たり〜たり in a sentence?

Attach たり〜たり to the appropriate verb or noun form. Do such things as A and B

Q: Is たり〜たり formal or casual Japanese?

たり〜たり can be used in both casual conversation and polite speech depending on context.

たり〜たり

N5 GRAMMAR ⏱ 0s study 📖 0 today

tari~tari

do such things as A and B

のが下手 no ga heta が ga に/へ ni/e ませんか masen ka ている te iru にいく ni iku まで made ほうがいい hou ga ii だろう darou なる naru ないで naide のです no desu ましょうか mashouka よ yo とても totemo なくちゃ nakucha どんな donna と to の no に ni のが下手 no ga heta が ga に/へ ni/e ませんか masen ka ている te iru にいく ni iku まで made ほうがいい hou ga ii だろう darou なる naru ないで naide のです no desu ましょうか mashouka よ yo とても totemo なくちゃ nakucha どんな donna と to の no に ni

🃏 Flashcard

たり〜たり

tari~tari

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do such things as A and B

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📊 Pattern Stats

JLPT Level N5

Beginner · Basic sentence structures

Reading tari~tari

Post ID 50665

Patterns today 0

0 / 10 daily goal

📝 Usage Notes

do such things as A and B

📖 How to use it

Lists representative actions using the たり form, meaning 'do such things as...'

Attaches to Attach たり to the plain past stem of verbs (the stem used in た form without た). For verbs: 書く → 書いたり, 食べる → 食べたり, する → したり, 来る → 来たり. For い-adjectives: use かったり (e.g., 高かったり). For な-adjectives and nouns: use だったり (e.g., 静かだったり, 先生だったり).

This pattern lists two or more actions (or states) as examples. The final たり is often followed by する (e.g., したりする) to complete the sentence. It implies 'among other things' — the actions are not exhaustive. You can use it for verbs, adjectives, and nouns, but it's most common with verbs.

When listing, the last たり can be followed by する, but you can also just end with たり if the meaning is clear. The tense of the whole sentence is carried by the final する (past: した, non-past: する). The order of the actions is flexible, but the last action often carries the main point.

Use this in everyday conversation. It's natural and common. Don't overuse it in formal writing; there are other ways to list actions there.

週末は映画を見たり、本を読んだりします。

Shuumatsu wa eiga o mitari, hon o yondari shimasu.

On weekends, I do things like watching movies and reading books.

昨日は友達と話したり、公園を散歩したりした。

Kinou wa tomodachi to hanashitari, kouen o sanpo shitari shita.

Yesterday, I did things like talking with friends and walking in the park.

彼女は静かだったり、元気だったりする。

Kanojo wa shizuka dattari, genki dattari suru.

She is sometimes quiet and sometimes energetic.

Not て-form listing (e.g., 映画を見て、本を読む) て-form lists actions in sequence or as a simple list, without implying 'among other things'. たり〜たり gives examples and suggests there are others.

Register Common in both spoken and written Japanese, but slightly casual; in very formal writing, prefer 〜たり〜たりする is still acceptable, but a simple list with て-form or し is often used.

🎯 Quick Quiz

What does this grammar pattern mean or do?

たり〜たり

📚 How to Master This Pattern

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Say It Aloud

Press Hear it and repeat たり〜たり three times. Feel the rhythm — grammar patterns have a natural flow.

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Flip Before Reading

Always try to recall the usage before flipping the card. Struggle = learning. Every failed recall makes the next one stick harder.

✍️

Write Two Sentences

Compose two original sentences using たり〜たり. One about yourself, one about something you see right now.

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Spaced Review

Save this pattern and revisit at 10 min, 1 day, 3 days. Production (writing) beats recognition for grammar.

🔗 More JLPT N5 Patterns

is/has been done (resulting state)

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

What does the grammar pattern たり〜たり mean? ▼

Do such things as A and B

What JLPT level is たり〜たり? ▼

Nihoner currently groups this pattern under JLPT N5 — Beginner · Basic sentence structures. Use the level label as study guidance rather than a prediction of what will appear on an exam.

How do you use たり〜たり in a sentence? ▼

Attach たり〜たり (tari~tari) to the appropriate verb or noun form as described in the usage notes. Then try writing two original sentences — one about yourself and one about something around you.

Is たり〜たり formal or casual Japanese? ▼

たり〜たり is used in both casual and polite contexts. It appears frequently in everyday conversation, textbooks, and simple written materials.

How can I remember たり〜たり long-term? ▼

Use the flashcard on this page for active recall — see the pattern, reconstruct the usage from memory, then flip. Follow with the 4-choice quiz to distinguish it from similar patterns. Review later the same day and again over the following days. Writing original sentences can help you practise using the pattern in context.