And, with: と・や
A と B（complete list）／A や B（など）
A と B = A and B (complete list); A や B（など）= A, B, among other things. Person + と = with.
In short
と links nouns when the list is complete: “パンと たまご” = bread and eggs, nothing else. や gives examples among others, often followed by など (etc.). と also means “with”: ともだちと 行きます.
- パンと たまごを たべます。pan to tamago o tabemasuI eat bread and eggs.
- りんごや バナナなどを かいます。ringo ya banana nado o kaimasuI buy apples, bananas and so on.
- ともだちと えいがを 見ます。tomodachi to eiga o mimasuI watch a film with a friend.
と: and (complete list)
と links nouns in a closed list: “A and B, and that's all”. It only links nouns, never sentences or verbs.
- パンと たまごを 食べます。pan to tamago o tabemasuI eat bread and eggs.
- 父と 母は 先生です。chichi to haha wa sensei desuMy father and mother are teachers.
や: and (among other things)
や gives a few examples from a longer list: “A, B, among other things”. It often ends with など (etc.).
- かばんに 本や ノートなどが あります。kaban ni hon ya nōto nado ga arimasuIn my bag, there are books, notebooks and so on.
と: with someone
と after a person also means “with”: ともだちと 行きます (I'm going with a friend). People often add いっしょに (together).
- ともだちと いっしょに えいがを 見ました。tomodachi to issho ni eiga o mimashitaI saw a film with a friend.
と or や?
If you're listing everything there is, it's と. If you're giving examples, it's や.
| Phrase | What you understand |
|---|---|
| りんごと みかんを 買いました | apples and mandarins, nothing else |
| りんごや みかんを 買いました | apples, mandarins, and other things |
Common mistakes
- Linking two sentences or two verbs with と: “and” between two actions is said another way (the て-form).
- Using や for a complete list: it implies there's something else.
- Forgetting と with a person: “ともだち いっしょに” is incomplete, you say ともだちと いっしょに.
5 exercises on this point
Particles to choose, sentences to put back in order, translations: marked straight away, then reviewed at the right time. This JLPT N5 point is on the Fukutoshin Line (People) of the Tokyo subway.