such things as A and B; and so on~ (やら～やら) – Japanese Grammar やら～やら (yara~yara)

Q: What JLPT level is やら～やら?

JLPT N2 — Upper-Intermediate · Academic & formal usage

Q: How do you use やら～やら in a sentence?

Attach やら～やら to the appropriate verb or noun form. Such things as A and B; and so on~

Q: Is やら～やら formal or casual Japanese?

やら～やら is typically used in formal or written Japanese contexts.

やら～やら

N2 GRAMMAR ⏱ 0s study 📖 0 today

yara~yara

such things as A and B; and so on~

たまえ tamae にしたら ni shitara げ ge 何も～ない nani mo~nai に決まっている ni kimatte iru だけに dake ni わずかに wazuka ni と同時に to douji ni に限る ni kagiru に沿って ni sotte から見ると kara miru to ものではない mono dewa nai 恐れがある osore ga aru ないことには～ない nai koto niwa~nai いきなり ikinari というものではない to iu mono dewa nai お～願う o~negau 得る eru / uru からして kara shite よりほかない yori hoka nai たまえ tamae にしたら ni shitara げ ge 何も～ない nani mo~nai に決まっている ni kimatte iru だけに dake ni わずかに wazuka ni と同時に to douji ni に限る ni kagiru に沿って ni sotte から見ると kara miru to ものではない mono dewa nai 恐れがある osore ga aru ないことには～ない nai koto niwa~nai いきなり ikinari というものではない to iu mono dewa nai お～願う o~negau 得る eru / uru からして kara shite よりほかない yori hoka nai

🃏 Flashcard

やら～やら

yara~yara

Tap to reveal usage

such things as A and B; and so on~

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📊 Pattern Stats

JLPT Level N2

Upper-Intermediate · Academic & formal usage

Reading yara~yara

Post ID 51180

Patterns today 0

0 / 10 daily goal

📝 Usage Notes

such things as A and B; and so on~

📖 How to use it

Lists two or more representative examples or actions, implying there are more not mentioned.

Attaches to Attach to the dictionary form of verbs or to nouns (and sometimes adjectives). For verbs, use plain form (dictionary form or past tense) before each やら. For nouns, just place the noun before each やら. The pattern is AやらBやら, with at least two items, but you can list more than two.

This pattern is used to give a few examples from a larger set, often with a sense of being overwhelmed or troubled by the variety. It can be used for concrete things (nouns) or actions (verbs). When using verbs, both verbs are in plain form (dictionary or past). Note that the last やら is optional if the sentence continues with a final predicate; the meaning remains 'and things like that'.

It often carries a negative or flustered nuance, like complaining about a situation, but it can also be neutral or even positive depending on context. It's a bit more intense than just saying 'AとかBとか'. In speech, it's used in casual to semi-formal contexts, but it is not extremely formal.

For example, if you're describing a chaotic day, you might list stressful events. Or if you're describing a fun trip, you could list enjoyable activities, but the pattern still implies 'among other things'. The key is that the speaker is giving a sample, not an exhaustive list.

旅行中は、財布を落とすやら電車に乗り遅れるやらで、大変だった。

Ryokou-chuu wa, saifu o otosu yara densha ni noriokureru yara de, taihen datta.

During the trip, things like losing my wallet and missing the train happened, and it was terrible.

彼女は、泣くやらわめくやらで、話にならなかった。

Kanojo wa, naku yara wameku yara de, hanashi ni naranakatta.

She was crying and screaming, so we couldn't have a conversation.

新しいアパートは、日当たりが悪いやら駅から遠いやらで、あまり好きじゃない。

Atarashii apaato wa, hiatari ga warui yara eki kara tooi yara de, amari suki ja nai.

My new apartment has poor sunlight and is far from the station, among other things, so I don't like it much.

Not とか～とかやら～やら often implies trouble or a negative situation, while とか～とか is neutral and simply lists examples without that nuance. Also, やら is more common in writing or set phrases, whereas とか is very colloquial in speech.

Register Neutral but slightly literary; used in both spoken and written Japanese, but in casual conversation とか is more common.

🎯 Quick Quiz

What does this grammar pattern mean or do?

やら～やら

📚 How to Master This Pattern

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Say It Aloud

Press Hear it and repeat やら～やら 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.

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Write Two Sentences

Compose two original sentences using やら～やら. 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.

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before long; soon; almost; eventually~

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very; greatly; much; to a large extent

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

What does the grammar pattern やら～やら mean? ▼

Such things as A and B; and so on~

What JLPT level is やら～やら? ▼

Nihoner currently groups this pattern under JLPT N2 — Upper-Intermediate · Academic & formal usage. Use the level label as study guidance rather than a prediction of what will appear on an exam.

How do you use やら～やら in a sentence? ▼

Attach やら～やら (yara~yara) 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 やら～やら formal or casual Japanese? ▼

やら～やら is used in formal or written contexts. You will see it mainly in written texts, news, business Japanese and academic contexts.

How can I remember やら～やら 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.