や goes between nouns and means "and" in a list that is not complete: the
things named are examples, and there are others. English often says "things
like" or "and so on" for it.
。
I ate apples, bananas and so on.
。
I went to places like the park and the library.
。
There are books, notebooks and other things on the desk.
The particle that marks the whole list – を, に, が – comes once, after the
last noun.
- × パンをや卵を買いました → パンや卵を買いました
や or と
names everything: the list is complete. や gives a few examples and
leaves the rest open.
。
I bought bread and eggs.
Only those two.
。
I bought bread, eggs and so on.
Other things too.
Adding など
, "etc.", can close the list and makes the openness explicit. The
particle then goes after など.
。
I read books, magazines and so on.
。
Near the station there are supermarkets, banks and so on.
Only nouns
や joins nouns and nothing else. To give examples of actions, use the
form of the verb instead.
、。
At weekends I read, listen to music and so on.
- × 本を読みや音楽を聞きます → 本を読んだり音楽を聞いたりします
Lingaku