から～ lists a few examples and leaves the rest unsaid: "things like A and B", "A, B and so on". とか goes after each item; after a noun it attaches directly, and the last とか can be dropped. It belongs to casual speech.
。
On my days off I go to things like movies and shopping.
。
I bought apples, bananas and so on.
。
We have coffee, tea and that sort of thing.
Particles such as , and come after the last とか, or straight after the last noun when that とか is dropped.
とか or や
also gives an open list, but it joins only nouns and sounds neutral, so it is the choice in writing and polite speech. とか also takes verbs and adjectives in the plain form.
。
There are books, notebooks and so on on the desk.
。
At weekends I do things like running and swimming.
- × 走るや泳ぐやします → 走るとか泳ぐとかします
とか or ～たり～たり
For a list of actions, 〜～〜～ is the standard form and fits any register. とか～とかする says the same more loosely, in conversation.
、。
At weekends I read books, watch films and so on.
、。
When I'm free I read or play games, that kind of thing.
Usage notes
These go beyond a list of examples.
Listing what people say
With a verb such as , とか～とか lists the kind of things someone says, often complaints.
、。
Stop complaining that it's cold, it's dark.
。
It's a restaurant people call cheap, tasty and so on.
One とか
A single item with とか softens a suggestion: "or something".
。
Would you like some tea or something?
Lingaku