〜たり〜たり: Listing Examples of Actions (Meaning + Examples)
The link it makes: listing, not sequencing
The join 〜たり〜たり makes is addition by sampling. It picks out a couple of representative actions and lets them stand for the whole — "things like A, B (and maybe more)," never a complete or strictly ordered list. That makes it the natural connector for describing weekends, hobbies, or any loose mix of activities.
週末はヤッタンは映画を見たり、買い物をしたりします。
しゅうまつは ヤッタンは えいがを みたり、かいものを したり します。
On weekends Yattan does things like watch movies and go shopping.
Two examples + する; the list is representative, not complete.
休みの日はモチは本を読んだり、音楽を聴いたりしています。
やすみの ひは モチは ほんを よんだり、おんがくを きいたり しています。
On days off Mochi reads books, listens to music, and so on.
What has to close the list: する
Unlike a bare conjunction, たり can't be left hanging — it clamps onto a closing する, and that する (not the listed verbs) is what carries the tense. Build each item from the plain past (た-form), add り, then finish with the right form of する:
| Verb | た-form | 〜たり |
|---|---|---|
| 食べる | 食べた | 食べたり |
| 飲む | 飲んだ | 飲んだり (note だり after ん) |
| する | した | したり |
Pattern: [Vたり]、[Vたり] + する — and する takes the tense (します, しました, しています).
When it swings to "back and forth"
Feed it opposite or contrasting verbs and the same connector reads as alternation — "now A, now B":
ヤッタンの弟は泣いたり笑ったりした。
ヤッタンの おとうとは ないたり わらったり した。
Yattan's little brother cried and laughed (by turns).
Alternating states — crying one moment, laughing the next.
たり〜たり versus the て-form
Both connectors string actions together, but the link they make is different:
| Form | Core idea | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 〜て (te-form) | actions in sequence/order; a complete list | 起きて、食べて、出かけた (I got up, ate, and went out) |
| 〜たり〜たり | representative examples; not exhaustive or ordered | 食べたり飲んだりした (I ate and drank, among other things) |
So use the て-form for "I did A, then B, then C" (a sequence), and 〜たり〜たり for "I did things like A and B" (examples).
Watch-outs
- Forgetting する at the end. It's 見たり買い物したりします, not just 見たり買い物したり.
- Building it from the dictionary form. It comes from the た-form: 読む → 読んだり (not 読みたり).
- Listing only one たり. Standard usage gives at least two (AたりBたり); a single たり exists but is a different, more advanced nuance.
The short version
- 〜たり〜たり(する) = "doing things like A and B" (examples, not a full list).
- Build from the た-form + り, close with する (which carries the tense).
- Can also mean alternation ("now A, now B").
- For an ordered, complete sequence, use the て-form instead.
Practice it
Form 〜たり〜たり correctly.
＿＿＿に入れるのに最もよいものを選びなさい。
Choose the grammar pattern that best completes the sentence.
１円＿＿＿とも無駄使いはできない。
Frequently asked questions
What does 〜たり〜たり mean?
It lists representative examples of actions — 'doing things like A and B (among others).' It implies the list isn't complete or in strict order.
Do I need する at the end?
Yes, normally. The pattern closes with する, which carries the tense: 〜たり〜たりします / しました / しています.
How is it different from the て-form?
The て-form links actions in sequence and suggests a complete list ('A, then B, then C'). 〜たり〜たり gives unordered examples ('things like A and B').
How do I form たり from a verb?
Take the plain past (た-form) and add り: 食べた→食べたり, 読んだ→読んだり, した→したり.
Where 〜たり〜たり fits
Shaky on this? Get these solid first
- The て-form · N5 — The て-form is the gateway to dozens of Japanese grammar patterns. Learn the conjugation rules for every verb group, the famous song trick, and see clear examples.
Don't confuse it with
- 〜ながら · N5 — 〜ながら describes doing two actions at the same time ('while doing'). Learn the formation from the ます-stem, which action is the main one, and see clear examples.
Hear it in a real conversation
See this pattern used naturally in a real-situation dialogue:
More N5 grammar to explore
Keep going with related patterns at the same level:
- と — The particle と joins nouns into a complete list ('A and B'), means 'with' someone, and pairs with 同じ/違う for comparisons. Learn how と differs from や.
- や — The particle や lists nouns as examples, not a full set: 本やペンがある ('books, pens, and such'). Learn how や differs from と, and how to pair it with など.
- の — の links nouns (A's B), replaces a noun ('the red one'), turns verbs into nouns (走るのが速い), and softens casual questions (どうしたの?). Learn all four uses.
- 〜なければならない — 〜なければならない means 'must' or 'have to' in Japanese. Learn the ない-form formation, the polite なりません, casual なきゃ, the なくてはいけない variant, and the opposite なくてもいい.
- 〜なくてもいい — 〜なくてもいい means 'don't have to' or 'it's okay not to.' Learn to build it from a verb's ない-form, use it with adjectives and nouns, and tell it apart from 'must' and 'may.'
- 〜てもいい — 〜てもいい means 'it's okay to' or 'may': verb て-form + もいい(です). Learn to ask permission with 〜てもいいですか, reply naturally, and use 〜てもかまいません.