と (to) vs や (ya): What’s the Difference?

Not sure whether to use と (to) or や (ya)? Both connect nouns in a list, but they are used differently. Learn which one to choose with simple examples and a real conversation.

Written by Chiho Kamioka · Updated: 2026-09-15

Japanese learner comparing と and や when talking about apples and bananas

What Is the Difference Between と (to) and や (ya)?

Look at these two sentences:

りんごとバナナを買かいました。
ringo to banana o kaimashita.
I bought apples and bananas.

りんごやバナナを買かいました。
ringo ya banana o kaimashita.
I bought things like apples and bananas.

Both sentences mention apples and bananas. With と, you name A and B. With や, A and B are examples, and there may be more.

と = A and B
Name A and B together.

や = things like A and B
A and B are examples. There may be more.

Basic Sentence Pattern

Put と or や after the first noun to connect it to the next noun.

Noun + と + Noun

りんごとバナナ

Noun + や + Noun

りんごやバナナ

Connecting Three or More Nouns with と (to)

You can use と more than once when you want to name three or more things.

パンと卵たまごとヨーグルトを食たべました。
pan to tamago to yooguruto o tabemashita.
I ate bread, eggs, and yogurt.

When Do We Use と (to)?

Use と when you want to name A and B together. It works like “and” in English.

パンと卵たまごを食たべました。
pan to tamago o tabemashita.
I ate bread and eggs.

コーヒーとケーキを注文ちゅうもんしました。
koohii to keeki o chuumon shimashita.
I ordered coffee and cake.

土曜日どようびと日曜日にちようびは休やすみです。
doyoubi to nichiyoubi wa yasumi desu.
Saturday and Sunday are my days off.

In these sentences, と simply connects the things you name.

When Do We Use や (ya)?

Use や when you want to give examples.

The things you name are part of the list. There may be other things too.

パンや卵たまごを食たべました。
pan ya tamago o tabemashita.
I ate things like bread and eggs.

スーパーで牛乳ぎゅうにゅうや野菜やさいを買かいました。
suupaa de gyuunyuu ya yasai o kaimashita.
I bought things like milk and vegetables at the supermarket.

休やすみの日ひは映画えいがやドラマを見みます。
yasumi no hi wa eiga ya dorama o mimasu.
On my days off, I watch things like movies and dramas.

When you hear や, remember: there may be more.

Be careful: や does not mean “or.”

や gives examples. To say “A or B,” Japanese usually uses か (ka).

コーヒーかお茶ちゃ
koohii ka ocha
coffee or tea

と (to) and や (ya) in a Real Conversation

Here is a simple conversation after a shopping trip.

A: スーパーで何なにを買かいましたか。

suupaa de nani o kaimashita ka?

What did you buy at the supermarket?

B: 牛乳ぎゅうにゅうやパンを買かいました。

gyuunyuu ya pan o kaimashita.

I bought things like milk and bread.

A: 果物くだものも買かいましたか。

kudamono mo kaimashita ka?

Did you buy fruit too?

B: はい、りんごとバナナを買かいました。

hai, ringo to banana o kaimashita.

Yes, I bought apples and bananas.

Why does B use two different particles?

In 牛乳ぎゅうにゅうやパン, milk and bread are examples of what B bought. Later, we learn that B bought fruit too.

In りんごとバナナ, they are now talking about fruit. B names apples and bananas together.

An Easy Way to Remember と (to) and や (ya)

と = A and B

Name A and B together.

や = Things like A and B

A and B are examples. There may be more.

Practice Japanese Particles in Real Conversations

Particles become easier to understand when you see them in real sentences and conversations.

In Japonin lessons, you can practice using Japanese while talking about your own experiences and ideas. Experienced Japanese teachers will help you use Japanese more naturally.

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Japanese と (to) vs や (ya): FAQ

Does と mean “only these things”?

No. と connects the things you name, but it does not mean “only.” For example, りんごとバナナを買いました means that you bought apples and bananas. It does not always mean that you bought only those two things. Use だけ (dake) when you want to clearly say “only.”

Can I use と and や to connect verbs?

Not in the patterns in this article: Noun + と + Noun and Noun + や + Noun. To connect actions, Japanese uses other patterns, such as the て-form.

朝あさごはんを食たべて、学校がっこうに行いきます。
asagohan o tabete, gakkou ni ikimasu.
I eat breakfast and go to school.

Do I need など after や?

No. You can use AやB by itself. You can also add など (nado), meaning “and so on,” after the last example: AやBなど. In both cases, A and B are examples.

りんごやバナナなどを買かいました。
ringo ya banana nado o kaimashita.
I bought things like apples and bananas.

Does と also mean “with”?

Yes. と can also mean “with” when talking about a person you do something with.

友達ともだちと行いきます。
tomodachi to ikimasu.
I will go with a friend.

This is different from using と to connect two nouns, as in りんごとバナナ.

Since 2006, Japonin has helped over 6,000 learners worldwide study Japanese online with support from experienced Japanese language teachers.

Written by Chiho KamiokaFounder of Japonin

Japanese particles become easier to understand when you compare them in the same situation. Remember: と names A and B together, while や gives examples, and there may be more.