Particles
Giving Examples and Incomplete Lists
The Japanese particle など means 'and so on', 'etc.', or 'things like'. It is used to show that the items you are mentioning are just examples from a larger implied group. You will often see it attached to a single noun or placed at the end of an incomplete list connected by the particle や.
01Main Functions
Providing a Single Example
Attaching など to a single noun shows that the item is just one example of a broader category, rather than a definitive statement.
雑誌などをよく読みます。
(I) often read magazines and things like that.
Capping an Incomplete List
When listing multiple items with the particle や, など is placed at the end of the list to explicitly mean 'and so on'.
パンや卵などを買いました。
(I) bought bread, eggs, and so on.
Modifying Nouns with Examples
By adding the particle の after など, you can connect an example directly to another noun to mean 'a (noun) like (example)'.
テニスなどのスポーツが好きです。
(I) like sports like tennis.
02Sentence Pattern
noun + など + が + na-adjective
りんごなどが好きです。
(I) like things like apples.
Attaching など to a single noun suggests that the noun is just one example among others. Here, が marks the whole example phrase as the thing that is liked.
noun + など + を + verb
雑誌などをよく読みます。
(I) often read magazines and things like that.
など can be used before object particles like を to show that the action applies to the example item as well as other similar things.
noun + など + です
朝ごはんはパンなどです。
Breakfast is bread and things like that.
You can place など directly before です to describe a topic with a soft example rather than a strict definition.
noun + や + noun + など + が + verb
庭に犬や猫などがいます。
There are dogs, cats, and so on in the garden.
To list multiple examples, connect the nouns with や and put など at the end. This clearly signals an incomplete list acting as the subject.
noun + や + noun + など + を + verb
パンや卵などを買いました。
(I) bought bread, eggs, and so on.
The entire incomplete list marked by など can act as the direct object of a verb, followed by the particle を.
noun + など + に + verb
東京などに行きます。
(I) will go to places like Tokyo.
When indicating a destination or location, など is placed right after the noun and before the directional particle に.
noun + など + の + noun + です
それはテニスなどのスポーツです。
That is a sport like tennis.
By adding の after など, you can turn the example into a modifier that describes the broad category noun that comes immediately after it.
noun + や + noun + など + の + noun + を + verb
英語や日本語などの言葉を勉強します。
(I) study languages like English and Japanese.
You can modify a broad category noun by placing a multiple-item incomplete list connected by や and capped with など + の in front of it.
03Example Sentences
りんごなどが好きです。
(I) like things like apples.
Attaching など to a single noun suggests that the noun is just one example. The particle が marks it as the object of preference.
雑誌などをよく読みます。
(I) often read magazines and things like that.
など can be used before object particles like を to show that the action applies to the example item as well as other similar things.
朝ごはんはパンなどです。
Breakfast is bread and things like that.
You can place など directly before です to describe a topic with a soft example rather than a strict definition.
庭に犬や猫などがいます。
There are dogs, cats, and so on in the garden.
To list multiple examples, connect the nouns with や and put など at the end. Here, it marks living things that exist in the garden.
机の上に本やペンなどがあります。
There are books, pens, and similar things on the desk.
This incomplete list acts as the subject for the existence verb あります, indicating that other unmentioned things are also on the desk.
パンや卵などを買いました。
(I) bought bread, eggs, and so on.
The entire incomplete list marked by など acts as the direct object of the verb, followed by the particle を.
東京や京都などに行きます。
(I) will go to places like Tokyo and Kyoto.
When indicating a destination or location, など is placed right after the noun and before the directional particle に.
コンビニなどで買い物をします。
(I) shop at convenience stores and places like that.
など can precede the location particle で to indicate that the action takes place at the mentioned location as well as other similar places.
それはテニスなどのスポーツです。
That is a sport like tennis.
By adding の after など, you can turn the example into a modifier that describes the broad category noun that comes immediately after it.
英語や日本語などの言葉を勉強します。
(I) study languages like English and Japanese.
You can modify a broad category noun by placing a multiple-item incomplete list connected by や and capped with など + の in front of it.
友達や家族などに手紙を書きました。
(I) wrote letters to friends, family, and so on.
The particle に can mark the recipient of an action. Adding など shows that there were other recipients not mentioned.
寿司や天ぷらなどの日本料理は美味しいです。
Japanese food like sushi and tempura is delicious.
Here, an incomplete list modifies the subject (Japanese food) using など + の, making the sentence topic clear and descriptive.
04Comparisons
や vs. と
Before you add など to a list, you must choose how to connect the nouns. The particle と connects a complete, exhaustive list ("A and B, and nothing else"), making it logically incompatible with the open-ended "and so on" meaning of など. The particle や connects an incomplete list ("A, B, and others"), making it the perfect natural match to use before capping the list with など.
パンや卵を買いました。
(I) bought bread, eggs, and other things.
パンと卵を買いました。
(I) bought bread and eggs (and nothing else).
Noun + など vs. Noun
You do not need a multiple-item list to use など. Attaching など to a single noun changes a direct, definitive statement into a soft example. Without など, the sentence sounds absolute. With など, it implies "things like" or "for example," which makes your speech feel softer and less rigid.
雑誌などを読みます。
(I) read magazines and things like that.
雑誌を読みます。
(I) read magazines.
05Nuance and Usage
The particle など is an excellent tool for softening your statements in Japanese. By attaching it to a noun, you avoid sounding too direct or rigid, indicating to the listener that you are simply offering a loose example rather than making an absolute claim.
When you list multiple items using や and cap the list with など, you are explicitly leaving the door open for other possibilities. This matches how native speakers naturally communicate—providing a flavor of the topic without needing to name every single detail exhaustively.
While など is appropriate for both casual and polite speech as well as writing, native speakers might also use casual alternatives like なんか in everyday informal conversations. However, など remains the safest and most broadly understood form for beginners to master across all situations.
06Core Explanation
The Japanese particle など means 'and so on', 'etc.', or 'things like'.
The particle など is a highly useful tool for indicating that the items you are mentioning are just examples, rather than an exhaustive list. It is commonly translated as "and so on", "etc.", or "things like", and it softens your speech by implying a larger context without forcing you to name everything.
Although English speakers often associate "and so on" with long lists, it is perfectly natural in Japanese to attach など to a single noun. For example, saying 雑誌などを読みます ("I often read magazines and things like that") simply shows that magazines are one example of what you read, making the statement feel less absolute and more conversational.
When you want to give more than one example, you usually connect the nouns with the particle や (meaning "and") and cap the end of the list with など. In a sentence like パンや卵などを買いました ("I bought bread, eggs, and so on"), や links the items while など emphasizes that you bought other things as well.
It is important to remember that など pairs naturally with や, but not with the particle と. Because と is used to create a complete, closed list ("A and B, and nothing else"), adding the open-ended nuance of など creates a logical contradiction. Always choose や when you plan to leave the list open.
Additionally, you can use the combination など + の to attach your examples directly to a broader category noun. In the phrase テニスなどのスポーツ ("sports like tennis"), the particle の connects the specific example to the general category, providing a very natural way to describe what kind of thing you are talking about before continuing your sentence.
07Common Mistakes
Wrong
パンと卵などを買いました。
Correct
パンや卵などを買いました。
Why: The particle と creates a complete, closed list, which contradicts the "and so on" meaning of など. Always use や to connect the nouns in an incomplete list.
Wrong
雑誌をなどよく読みます。
Correct
雑誌などをよく読みます。
Why: The particle など attaches directly to the noun. It must be placed before grammatical particles like を, が, or に, not after them.
Wrong
テニスなどスポーツが好きです。
Correct
テニスなどのスポーツが好きです。
Why: To connect an example directly to another noun (such as "sports like tennis"), you must add the particle の between など and the following noun.
Wrong
犬などや猫がいます。
Correct
犬や猫などがいます。
Why: When listing multiple examples, connect the nouns with や and place など at the very end of the list, not after each individual item.
Wrong
などパンを買いました。
Correct
パンなどを買いました。
Why: など is a particle, meaning it must follow the noun it modifies. It cannot be placed at the beginning of a sentence or before the noun.
Wrong
日本語のなどを勉強します。
Correct
日本語などを勉強します。
Why: The particle など attaches directly to nouns. You do not need the particle の before it.
08Questions
Can I use など with just one item, or do I always need a list?
You can absolutely use it with a single item! Attaching など to one noun, like in 雑誌などを読みます (I read magazines and things like that), is a very common and natural way to give a soft example without sounding too direct.
Why can't I say 犬と猫などがいます?
The particle と is used for complete, exhaustive lists, meaning "dogs and cats (and nothing else)". Because など means "and so on", combining them creates a logical contradiction. Always use the incomplete list particle や instead: 犬や猫などがいます.
Where exactly does など go when I use particles like を or が?
The particle など attaches directly to the noun, and the grammatical particles come after it. For example, say りんごなどが (noun + など + が) or 雑誌などを (noun + など + を).
09Mini Practice
- 01
(I) bought bread, eggs, and so on. パン（ ）卵などを買いました。
- 02
(I) like things like apples. りんご（など / などの）が好きです。
- 03
(I) like sports like tennis. テニスなど（ ）スポーツが好きです。
- 04
(Listing what you bought) パンと卵などを買いました。
- 05
(I) often read magazines and things like that. 雑誌（をなど / などを）よく読みます。
- 06
There are dogs, cats, and so on in the garden.
Tap the pieces in the correct order.
- 07
(I) will go to places like Tokyo and Kyoto. 東京や京都（ ）に行きます。
- 08
(Explaining what you eat for breakfast) 朝ごはんはパンなどです。
Summary
Learner Summary
- The particle など means "and so on", "etc.", or "things like".
- It shows that the items mentioned are just examples from a larger implied group.
- You can attach it to a single noun to make a statement softer and less rigid.
- When listing multiple examples, connect the nouns with や and place など at the end of the list.
- Never use the exhaustive particle と with など, as their meanings contradict each other.
- Add the particle の after など to modify another noun, such as テニスなどのスポーツ (sports like tennis).