GRAMMAR
〜やら〜やら
and ~ and (chaos/many)
Explanation
NOTE
〜やら〜やら lists two examples (suggesting more besides) — X and Y and so on.
机の上は本やらノートやらで散らかっている。
The desk is messy with books and notebooks and other things.
やら implies that the listed items are just examples — there is more besides.
NOTE
It often conveys confusion or feeling overwhelmed by a mixed, chaotic situation.
NOTE
With nouns, attach やら directly to each noun (本 → 本やら、ノート → ノートやら).
STRUCTURE
N辞やらN辞やら
部屋には服やら本やらがたくさんあって、片付きません。
Heya ni wa fuku yara hon yara ga takusan atte, katadukimasen.
There are clothes and books and such in the room, so it won't get tidy.
昨日は頭痛やら腹痛やらで、ずっと寝ていました。
Kinou wa zutsuu yara fukutsuu yara de, zutto nete imashita.
Yesterday, I had a headache and a stomachache and such, so I was sleeping the whole time.
テストの前は、勉強やら準備やらでとても忙しいです。
Tesuto no mae wa, benkyou yara junbi yara de totemo isogashii desu.
Before an exam, I am very busy with studying and preparing and so on.
引っ越しの日は荷物やら掃除やらで大変だった。
Hikkoshi no hi wa nimotsu yara souji yara de taihen datta.
Moving day was tough — luggage and cleaning and so on.
彼女は嬉しさやら驚きやらで泣き出した。
Kanojo wa ureshisa yara odoroki yara de nakidashita.
Between joy and surprise and everything, she burst into tears.
子供の誕生日はケーキやらプレゼントやらで忙しい。
Kodomo no tanjoubi wa keeki yara purezento yara de isogashii.
My kid's birthday is busy with cake and presents and so on.
NOTE
With verbs, attach やら to the plain form of each verb (泣く → 泣くやら、笑う → 笑うやら).
STRUCTURE
V普やらV普やら
テストの前は、本を読むやら問題を解くやらで、本当に忙しいです。
Tesuto no mae wa, hon o yomu yara mondai o toku yara de, hontō ni isogashii desu.
Before a test, between reading books and solving practice problems, I am truly busy.
昨日は仕事が忙しいし、家の事も多くて、動くやら休むやらで大変でした。
Kinō wa shigoto ga isogashii shi, ie no koto mo ōkute, ugoku yara yasumu yara de taihen deshita.
Yesterday I was busy with work and had so many things to do at home; I was in such a state of flux, constantly moving and then resting, it was exhausting.
息子は部屋で歌うやら踊るやらして、とても騒がしいです。
Musuko wa heya de utau yara odoru yara shite, totemo sawagashii desu.
My son is making so much noise in his room, singing and dancing and everything.
子供たちは泣くやら笑うやらで大騒ぎだった。
Kodomotachi wa naku yara warau yara de oosawagi datta.
The kids were a huge fuss — crying and laughing and everything.
合格を知って、叫ぶやら飛び跳ねるやらだった。
Goukaku o shitte, sakebu yara tobihaneru yara datta.
When I learned I passed, I was shouting and jumping around and so on.
彼は歌うやら踊るやらで本当に楽しそうだった。
Kare wa utau yara odoru yara de hontou ni tanoshisou datta.
He seemed truly happy — singing and dancing and everything.
Practice exercises
1
宿題は難しい。その上、量やら期限やらで、頭が痛い。
The homework is difficult. And what's more, with quantity and deadline and such, I have a headache.
Answer
やらやら
2
人生には、喜びやら悲しみやら、いろいろなことがある。
In life, there are various things, joys and sorrows and such.
Answer
やらやら
3
彼は英語のみならず、中国語やら韓国語やらも話せる。
Not only English, but he can also speak Chinese and Korean and such.
Answer
やらやら
4
大震災の後は、食料やら物資やらが不足し、混乱を極めた。
After the great earthquake, food and supplies and such were short, and chaos ensued.
Answer
やらやら
5
雨に加えて、風やら雷やらで、嵐のような天気になった。
In addition to rain, with wind and thunder and such, it turned into stormy weather.
Answer
やらやら