“yara…yara” Meaning & Usage — What with 〜 and 〜 (listing) [JLPT N3]

Content by NTJ Kuma · Nihongo to Japan editorial team · Updated July 27, 2026

“What with crying and laughing…” — listing with a nuance of trouble or exclamation, with examples. (JLPT N3)

「引っ越しで、荷物やら手続きやら、もう大変」 — this and that, a whole flurry

「引っ越しで、荷物やら手続きやら、やることが多くて大変」 (with the move, what with luggage and paperwork, there's so much to do it's exhausting) — 「〜やら〜やら」 is used to list several things, often with an “so many and so jumbled, a bit overwhelming” exclamatory tone. This guide covers 「やら〜やら」's use and attachment, separating it from the neutral 「とか」 and the discontented 「だの〜だの」.

Core: what with ～ and ～, both ～ and ～ (a listing with exasperation/emotion)

「(noun／verb／adjective) ＋ やら〜やら」 = “what with ～ and ～, both ～ and ～” — juxtaposing two or three (same-kind or contrasting) things, implying “there's a lot more, so many and jumbled,” often with a tone of exasperation, flurry, or mixed feelings:

• 机の上は、本やら書類やらで、ぐちゃぐちゃだ (the desk, what with books and papers, is a mess).
• 合格の知らせに、嬉しいやら信じられないやら (at the acceptance news, both happy and disbelieving).

Feel: “both … and … (a whole pile, ugh／so many feelings)” — the core is “listing several items, with a ‘so many and jumbled' exclamation.” It can list concrete things (a flurry) or opposing emotions (mixed feelings). Subjective, emotive, and colloquial.

Attachment

See it in context

• 年末は、掃除やら買い物やらで忙しい。(Year-end is busy, what with cleaning and shopping.) — busy listing
• 子供たちは、走るやら叫ぶやら、大騒ぎだ。(The kids, running and shouting, are a huge ruckus.) — verb listing
• 卒業式では、嬉しいやら寂しいやら、複雑な気持ちだ。(At graduation, both happy and sad, mixed feelings.) — emotion listing
• 財布やら鍵やら、必要な物が見つからない。(Wallet, keys — I can't find the things I need.) — exasperation
• 彼が何を考えているのか、本当なのやら嘘なのやら、わからない。(What he's thinking, whether true or false, I can't tell.) — question word ＋ のやら

⚠️ Where learners slip up

① 「やら〜やら」 carries a ‘so many and jumbled, exasperated' exclamation, 「とか」 is more neutral. Both list, but やら carries the subjective ‘a whole pile, ugh／mixed feelings' emotion (荷物やら書類やらで大変 = what with luggage and papers, exhausting); とか just neutrally cites examples ‘and the like' (コーヒーとかお茶とか = coffee, tea, and the like, a casual list, no emotion). For a “so many and jumbled, flurried/wistful” tone use やら, for plain examples use とか.

② 「やら〜やら」 vs 「だの〜だの」 both carry emotion, slightly different feel. Both are emotive listings. やら〜やら = both … and … (with exasperation, flurry, or mixed feelings; emotion can be positive or negative) (嬉しいやら悲しいやら = both glad and sad); だの〜だの = what with … and … (a listing mostly with discontent, distaste, complaint) (文句だの愚痴だの、うるさい = complaints and grumbling, so noisy). だの has a heavier negative, distasteful flavor; やら is more often “flurry” or “complex feelings.” To strongly voice discontent, listing disliked things, use だの; for general flurry/wistfulness use やら.

③ 「question word ＋ のやら」 = uncertainty, being at a loss (don't drop the 「の」). やら can also follow a question-word clause, as 「question word ＋ のやら」 marking the uncertain sigh “(really) don't know …, can't tell …”: どこへ行ったのやら (who knows where they went); いつ終わるのやら (who knows when it'll end); 本当なのやら (whether it's even true). This carries a “baffled, helpless” flavor and is often used alone (not necessarily paired). Don't confuse it with the listing 「やら〜やら」 — this is 「question word ＋ のやら」 marking uncertainty.

🔄 Nuance & comparison: やら〜やら／とか／だの〜だの／し

💡 How to remember this

「〜やら〜やら」 = what with ～ and ～, both ～ and ～, its core “listing several items, with a ‘so many and jumbled' exclamation” — it can list concrete things (荷物やら手続きやらで大変 = what with luggage and paperwork, a flurry) or opposing emotions (嬉しいやら悲しいやら = both glad and sad, mixed feelings). Three points: ① it carries subjective emotion, unlike the neutral 「とか」 — やら carries “a whole pile, ugh／wistful,” とか just cites examples; ② like 「だの〜だの」 it's emotive, but だの has a heavier discontent, distaste flavor, while やら is more often flurry or complex feelings; ③ there's also 「question word ＋ のやら」 = can't tell, don't know (どこへ行ったのやら). To vividly express “this and that, a whole flurry” or “mixed feelings,” やら〜やら is the most vivid.

❓ FAQ

Q: 「やら〜やら」 and 「とか〜とか」 both list — when do I use 「やら」?

When you want the listing to carry the subjective emotion of ‘so many and jumbled, a flurry, or mixed feelings.' 「〜とか〜とか」 = and the like (neutrally, casually citing a few examples, no special emotion): 週末は、映画とか買い物とかして過ごす (I spend the weekend on movies, shopping, and the like — casually citing examples). It's just “cite a few examples,” flat in tone. 「〜やら〜やら」 = what with … and … (while listing, carrying the flurry of ‘so many and jumbled, overwhelming' or the wistfulness of ‘mixed emotions'): 年末は大掃除やら年賀状やら、やることが山ほどある (year-end, what with big cleaning and New Year's cards, there's a mountain to do — with a “run off my feet” sigh); 合格して、嬉しいやらほっとするやら (having passed, both glad and relieved — mixed emotions). The difference is emotion: とか neutral examples, やら with the subjective sigh of “so many jumbled／mixed feelings.” So for plain examples use とか; to voice the “a pile of things, a flurry” or “complex feelings” sigh, use やら〜やら.

Q: 「やら〜やら」 and 「だの〜だの」 both carry emotion — what's the difference?

Both are emotive listings, differing in the nature of the emotion. 「〜やら〜やら」 = both … and … (with a ‘so many jumbled, flurry' or ‘mixed feelings' sigh; emotion can be positive or negative, more neutral leaning to helplessness/wistfulness): 引っ越しで、荷物やら掃除やら大変だ (with the move, what with luggage and cleaning, exhausting — a flurry); 嬉しいやら悲しいやら (both glad and sad — complex feelings). Its emotion isn't necessarily negative, often “flurry” or “deeply moved.” 「〜だの〜だの」 = what with … and … (listing with clear ‘discontent, distaste, disapproval, complaint,' leaning negative): あの人はいつも、文句だの不満だのばかり言っている (that person is always going on with complaints and grievances — with distaste, criticism); 高いだのまずいだの、注文が多い (‘too expensive,' ‘tastes bad' — so many gripes — with impatience). It's often used to list things the speaker finds irritating, tiresome, in a sharper, more negative tone. Test: with ‘flurry/mixed feelings' (neutral, leaning wistful) → やら; with ‘discontent, distaste, complaint' (clearly negative) → だの. To grumble about someone's nagging, listing disliked things, use だの; to express your own flurry or complex feelings, use やら.

🖊️ Practice Questions (5)

Q1. 「試験期間中は、レポート___、発表___で、毎日忙しかった。」(reports and all, presentations and all, I was swamped)

(A) とか・とか　(B) やら・やら　(C) し・し　(D) か・か

Q2. 「彼女の結婚の知らせに、嬉しい___、寂しい___、複雑な気持ちだ。」(happy and yet lonely, mixed feelings)

(A) し・し　(B) やら・やら　(C) とか・とか　(D) か・か

Q3. 「この店には、ラーメン___、チャーハン___、色々ある。」(a plain listing: there's ramen, fried rice, and so on)

(A) やら・やら　(B) とか・とか　(C) し・し　(D) か・か

Q4. Which use of やら carries a sense of "emotional exasperation"?

(A) リンゴやらバナナやらが食べたい。

(B) 子供が泣くやら叫ぶやら、大変だった。

(C) 映画やら音楽やらが好きだ。

(D) ラーメンやらカレーやらを食べた。

Q5. 「仕事___、勉強___、やることが多すぎる。」(work and study both, there's just too much to do)

(A) とか・とか　(B) し・し　(C) やら・やら　(D) か・か

Answer Explanations

1. (B) やら・やら ── during exam season, 「レポートやら発表やら」= a listing of things that overwhelm you; the nuance of やら (chaotic bustle) fits better than とか.

2. (B) やら・やら ── 「嬉しいやら、寂しいやら」= an exclamation of mixed feelings, the emotional use of やら.

3. (B) とか・とか ── a plain listing (no emotional color) → とか. やら carries emotion/exasperation and doesn't suit a plain list.

4. (B) ── 「子供が泣くやら叫ぶやら、大変だった」carries the speaker's sense of exasperation/being overwhelmed; this is the typical emotional use of やら. The other options have a more neutral tone.

5. (C) やら・やら ── 「やることが多すぎる (too much to do)」= an exasperated tone; やら best expresses "this and that, so much I can't cope."