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GRAMMAR
〜だの〜だの
and ~ and (complaining)
Explanation
NOTE

〜だの〜だの means X and Y (and so on) — used to list examples, typically with a tone of complaint, annoyance, or criticism.

姉あねは暑あついだの寒さむいだの、いつも文句もんくばかり言いう。
My older sister always complains, saying it's hot and it's cold and so on.
The speaker is annoyed by the constant complaining — the listed items express the speaker's irritation.
NOTE

Unlike neutral 〜や〜や or 〜とか〜とか, 〜だの〜だの almost always carries a negative nuance — the speaker finds the listed items bothersome or excessive.

NOTE

Attach だの directly to the dictionary form of nouns, verbs, and adjectives to list multiple items in a complaining tone.

STRUCTURE
N辞だのN辞だの
母ははは掃除そうじだの洗濯せんたくだのと、毎日まいにちうるさい。
Haha wa souji dano sentaku dano to, mainichi urusai.
My mother is noisy every day about cleaning and laundry and so on.
彼かれは仕事しごとだの残業ざんぎょうだのと、家いえに帰かえってこない。
Kare wa shigoto dano zangyou dano to, ie ni kaette konai.
He never comes home, talking about work and overtime and so on.
弟おとうとは宿題しゅくだいだの部活ぶかつだので、忙いそがしそうだ。
Otouto wa shukudai dano bukatsu dano de, isogashisou da.
My little brother seems busy with homework and club activities and so on.
NOTE

〜だの〜だの can also list verbs and adjectives in their dictionary form, expressing complaints about actions or qualities.

STRUCTURE
V/Adj辞だのV/Adj辞だの
彼女かのじょは高たかいだのまずいだのと、レストランの文句もんくばかり言いう。
Kanojo wa takai dano mazui dano to, resutoran no monku bakari iu.
She always complains about the restaurant, saying it's expensive and it tastes bad and so on.
子供こどもは遊あそびたいだの食たべたくないだのと、わがままばかり言いう。
Kodomo wa asobitai dano tabetakunai dano to, wagamama bakari iu.
The child only says selfish things — wanting to play and not wanting to eat and so on.
同僚どうりょうは給料きゅうりょうが安やすいだの休やすみが少すくないだのと、いつも不満ふまんばかりだ。
Douryou wa kyuuryou ga yasui dano yasumi ga sukunai dano to, itsumo fuman bakari da.
My colleague is always full of complaints — the salary is low and there are few days off and so on.

Practice exercises

1
給料きゅうりょうが安やすいだの残業ざんぎょうが多おおいだの、疲つかれに加くわえて不満ふまんばかりだ。
There are only complaints about the salary being low and the overtime being much, in addition to the fatigue.
Answer
給料きゅうりょうが安やすいだの残業ざんぎょうが多おおいだの
2
彼かれは寒さむいだの暑あついだの文句もんくばかりか仕事しごともしない。
He complains about being cold and being hot, and on top of that, he doesn't even work.
Answer
寒さむいだの暑あついだの
3
料理りょうりが遅おそいだの味あじが悪わるいだの、その上うえ、料金りょうきんも高たかい。
They complain about the food being slow and the taste being bad, and on top of that, the price is also high.
Answer
料理りょうりが遅おそいだの味あじが悪わるいだの
4
彼かれは行いくだの行いかないだのと、いつまでも決きめない。
He keeps complaining about whether to go or not to go, and never decides.
Answer
行いくだの行いかないだの
5
若者わかものは夢ゆめがないだの努力どりょくしないだの批判ひはんばかりされている。
Young people are constantly being criticized for not having dreams and not making effort.
Answer
夢ゆめがないだの努力どりょくしないだの