〜やら〜やら - Listing Multiple Items or Attributes

Explanation

This structure is used to list multiple items or attributes, often to express complex or negative emotions.

Grammar Pattern

Grammar Point	Connection	Explanation
〜やら〜やら	Noun + やら + Noun Verb Dictionary Form + やら + Verb Dictionary Form い-Adjective Dictionary Form + やら + い-Adjective Dictionary Form	Used to list multiple items or attributes, often indicating a mix of emotions or situations, similar to "both... and..." or "now... now..." in English.

Examples

• 彼かれに突然とつぜんプロポーズされて、びっくりするびっくりする 困こまるやらでとても複雑ふくざつな気持きもちだ。
• Kare ni totsuzen puropoozu sarete, bikkuri suru yara komaru yara de totemo fukuzatsu na kimochi da.
• I was both surprised and troubled when he suddenly proposed to me, leaving me with very mixed feelings.
  

• 最近さいきんは残業ざんぎょうやら 子供こどもの送おくり迎むかえやらで忙いそがしくて、全然ぜんぜん飲のみに行いっていない。
• Saikin wa zangyou yara kodomo no okuri mukae yara de isogashikute, zenzen nomi ni itteinai.
• Lately, I’ve been so busy with overtime work and picking up my kids that I haven’t had time to go out for drinks at all.
  

Deep Dive

〜やら〜やら is a conjunctive particle used to list multiple items or attributes, often with a negative or complex emotional tone, such as confusion or frustration. It can be used with nouns, verbs, and adjectives in their dictionary forms.

Real-Life Scenarios

In everyday life, 〜やら〜やら is often used to express complex emotions or list multiple troublesome matters, such as:

• 旅行りょこうの準備じゅんびやら、仕事しごとの締切しめきりやらで忙いそがしい。
• Ryokou no junbi yara, shigoto no shimekiri yara de isogashii.
• I’m busy with preparing for the trip and meeting work deadlines.
  

• 彼かれは試験しけんの結果けっかが悪わるくて、悔くやしいやら、恥はずかしいやらで泣ないていた。
• Kare wa shiken no kekka ga warukute, kuyashii yara, hazukashii yara de naiteita.
• He was crying because of his poor exam results, feeling both regretful and embarrassed.
  

Summary

〜やら〜やら is an important expression used to describe complex or negative emotions, helping learners grasp the nuances of Japanese. By listing multiple items or attributes, it conveys the speaker’s mixed feelings and is a commonly used structure in Japanese.