and (list neg. things happening at same time) (わ〜わで) – Japanese Grammar わ〜わで (wa~wade)

Q: What JLPT level is わ〜わで?

JLPT N1 — Advanced · Literary, rhetorical & rare forms

Q: How do you use わ〜わで in a sentence?

Attach わ〜わで to the appropriate verb or noun form. And (list neg. things happening at same time)

Q: Is わ〜わで formal or casual Japanese?

わ〜わで is typically used in formal or written Japanese contexts.

わ〜わで

N1 GRAMMAR ⏱ 0s study 📖 0 today

wa~wade

and (list neg. things happening at same time)

およそ oyoso ないものか /ないものだろうか nai mono ka / nai mono darou ka たら〜ところだ tara~tokoro da をおいて〜ない o oite~nai ものとして mono toshite に至るまで ni itaru made だの〜だの dano~dano までもない / までもなく made mo nai/naku いかんだ / いかんでは/ いかんによっては ikan da / ikan dewa / ikan ni yotte wa というところだ /といったところだ to iu tokoro da / to itta tokoro da たりとも tari tomo からある / からする/ からの kara aru / kara suru / kara no 羽目になる hame ni naru のやら / ものやら /ことやら no yara / mono yara/ koto yara には無理がある ni wa muri ga aru とは towa でも何でもない /くも何ともない demo nan demo nai / kumo nan tomo nai が早いか ga hayai ka あっての atte no ほうがましだ hou ga mashi da およそ oyoso ないものか /ないものだろうか nai mono ka / nai mono darou ka たら〜ところだ tara~tokoro da をおいて〜ない o oite~nai ものとして mono toshite に至るまで ni itaru made だの〜だの dano~dano までもない / までもなく made mo nai/naku いかんだ / いかんでは/ いかんによっては ikan da / ikan dewa / ikan ni yotte wa というところだ /といったところだ to iu tokoro da / to itta tokoro da たりとも tari tomo からある / からする/ からの kara aru / kara suru / kara no 羽目になる hame ni naru のやら / ものやら /ことやら no yara / mono yara/ koto yara には無理がある ni wa muri ga aru とは towa でも何でもない /くも何ともない demo nan demo nai / kumo nan tomo nai が早いか ga hayai ka あっての atte no ほうがましだ hou ga mashi da

🃏 Flashcard

わ〜わで

wa~wade

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and (list neg. things happening at same time)

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📊 Pattern Stats

JLPT Level N1

Advanced · Literary, rhetorical & rare forms

Reading wa~wade

Post ID 51427

Patterns today 0

0 / 10 daily goal

📝 Usage Notes

and (list neg. things happening at same time)

📖 How to use it

Lists multiple negative or chaotic things happening at the same time, emphasizing the overwhelming nature of the situation.

Attaches to Attach to the ます-stem (連用形) of verbs, the stem of い-adjectives, or the stem of な-adjectives/nouns followed by だ for each item, then add わ. The last item is followed by で. Pattern: Verbます-stem + わ + Verbます-stem + わ + で (also applicable to adjectives and nouns).

This pattern is used to enumerate two or more undesirable or troublesome events or states that occur simultaneously, creating a sense of being overwhelmed or at wit's end. It is typically found in spoken Japanese but has a slightly emphatic, almost complaining tone. The items are usually repeated with the same type of action or feeling, but they can be different. The construction ends with で, which can be followed by a verb expressing distress (like 困る, 大変だ) or be left as a standalone exclamation. This pattern can also be used with adjectives and nouns to describe negative states, e.g., 忙しいわ、疲れるわで.

子供が泣きわ叫びわで、一晩中眠れなかった。

Kodomo ga nakiwa sakebiwa de, hitobanjuu nemurenakatta.

The kids were crying and screaming, so I couldn't sleep all night.

電車が遅れわ、財布を忘れわで、散々な一日だった。

Densha ga okurewa, saifu o wasurewa de, sanzan na ichinichi datta.

The train was late, I forgot my wallet—it was a horrible day.

仕事が忙しいわ、家事もたまってるわで、疲れ切ってしまった。

Shigoto ga isogashii wa, kaji mo tamatteru wa de, tsukarekitte shimatta.

Work is busy, and chores are piling up—I'm exhausted.

Not 〜し、〜し〜し、〜し is a neutral way to list reasons or facts (e.g., 安いし、美味しいし). わ〜わで is only for negative, overwhelming situations and always ends with で, often implying distress.

Register Spoken, informal to semi-formal; used when complaining or describing a chaotic situation, not in formal writing.

🎯 Quick Quiz

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わ〜わで

📚 How to Master This Pattern

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Say It Aloud

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

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Write Two Sentences

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

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ignoring (one thing) for (another)

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as soon as; the moment ~

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

What does the grammar pattern わ〜わで mean? ▼

And (list neg. things happening at same time)

What JLPT level is わ〜わで? ▼

Nihoner currently groups this pattern under JLPT N1 — Advanced · Literary, rhetorical & rare forms. Use the level label as study guidance rather than a prediction of what will appear on an exam.

How do you use わ〜わで in a sentence? ▼

Attach わ〜わで (wa~wade) 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 わ〜わで formal or casual Japanese? ▼

わ〜わで 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 わ〜わで 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.