How to say “AND” in Japanese
Saying AND in Japanese has always been kind of frustrating for me. It’s a concept that, in English (and in my mother tongue, Italian), feels simple and universal: you just use “and” and move on.
But in Japanese, you need to stop and think: what exactly am I connecting, and what do I actually want to say?
It’s been a long time since my last post and since my last serious effort to make a significant improvement in my Japanese, so let’s start again by breaking down something that has always confused me.
と = “and” (complete list)
Use と when you are listing specific things and the list is complete.
猫と犬がいます。
= I have a cat and a dog.
日本語と英語を話します。
= I speak Japanese and English.
や = “A, B, and things like that” (incomplete list)
Use や when you mention examples but there are more things that are not listed.
猫や犬が好きです。
= I like cats, dogs, and things like that.
本や映画を見る。
= I read books, watch movies, and do things like that.
とか = “things like A and B / for example”
とか is more casual and flexible than や.
映画とか音楽が好きです。
= I like things like movies and music.
週末はゲームをするとか、友達と会うとかします。
= On weekends, I do things like play games or meet friends.
It can also show uncertainty:
明日とか？
= Maybe tomorrow or something?
Remove the final い and add くて.
この店は安くておいしいです。
= This shop is cheap and delicious.
この町は静かで便利です。
= This town is quiet and convenient.
Mixing い-adjectives and な-adjectives
The rule stays the same: change the first adjective into its connecting form.
安くて便利
= cheap and convenient
静かで面白い
= quiet and interesting
て-form = “do A and then B / do A and B”
The て-form is the basic way to connect actions.
起きて、顔を洗う。
= Wake up and wash my face.
ご飯を食べて、学校へ行く。
= Eat and go to school.
たり〜たりする = “do things like A and B”
Use this when listing examples of actions, not a complete list.
Verb た-form + り + Verb た-form + り + する
映画を見たり、本を読んだりします。
= I do things like watch movies and read books.
週末は寝たり、ゲームをしたりします。
= On weekends, I do things like sleep and play games.
日本へ行きました。そして、日本語を勉強しました。
= I went to Japan. Then, I studied Japanese.
雨です。だから、家にいます。
= It’s raining, so I’m staying home.
The important thing to understand is that Japanese doesn’t really have one single word for "and". Instead, it asks you: what kind of relationship do these two things have? And once you start thinking that way, it becomes much easier.
