How to Say “Do Such Things As V1 and V2” in Japanese | Using V たり V たりする

While the typical pattern is to list two or more actions (V1たり V2たり), in natural, casual Japanese conversation, you will sometimes hear just one verb followed by たり and a form of する (like 〜たりする or 〜たりしていた).

This usage serves to give just one example of the activities you did, implying that you did other things as well without explicitly listing them all. Example:

• A: 休やすみの日ひ、何なにしてたの？ = What were you doing on your day off?
• B: マンガ読よんだりしてた。= I was doing things like reading manga.
  • This implies you read manga, but also did other unmentioned things.

So, while grammatically listing just one can feel incomplete in formal or very structured contexts, it is a way to provide a single representative example in casual conversation.

Absolutely! You can list three, four, or more actions using the 〜たり form, followed by the final する.

Example: 休やすみの日ひには、映画えいがを見みたり、本ほんを読よんだり、音楽おんがくを聞きいたりします。= I do things like watch movies, read books, and listen to music.

• Vて、Vて… : Lists actions, often implying a sequence or complete list of everything that happened. The actions usually occur in the order they are listed.
  • Example: ご飯はんを食たべて、シャワーを浴あびて、寝ねました。(Ate dinner, took a shower, and then slept.) – Implies this was the order of events.
• Vたり、Vたりする : Lists representative actions, suggesting these are examples of things that were done among potentially others. It does not imply a specific order or that this is a complete list.
  • Example: ご飯を食べたり、シャワーを浴びたりしました。(I did things like eat dinner and take a shower.) – You might have done other things too, and the order of eating/showering isn’t specified as sequential.

The particles used within each 「〜たり」 clause are the same particles that would normally be used with that verb in a regular sentence. They indicate the relationship of other nouns to the verb in that specific part of the phrase. Example:

• 家でゴロゴロしたり (Ie de gorogoro shitari – loaf around at home) – uses で for the location of action.
• 映画を見たり (Eiga o mitari – watch a movie) – uses を for the direct object.
• 友だちと遊んだり (Tomodachi to asondari – hang out with friends) – uses と for the co-participant.
• 温泉に入ったり (Onsen ni haittari – enter a hot spring) – uses に for the location entered.

Yes, you can use a similar structure with adjectives and nouns, but it describes a situation where something is sometimes in one state and sometimes in another, or is sometimes one thing and sometimes another, rather than just listing examples.

• い-Adjectives: Use the past tense short form (〜かった) + り.
  • Example: 天気が良かったり悪かったりしますね。(Tenki ga yokattari warukattari shimasu ne.) = The weather is sometimes good and sometimes bad, isn’t it?
• な-Adjectives & Nouns: Use 〜だった + り.
  • Example (Na-adjective): 彼の態度は親切だったり冷たかったりします。(Kare no taido wa shinsetsudattari tsumetakattari shimasu.) = His attitude is sometimes kind and sometimes cold.
  • Example (Noun): 週末の夜ご飯は、家だったり外食だったりします。(Shuumatsu no yoru gohan wa, iedattari gaishokudattari shimasu.) = Weekend dinners are sometimes at home and sometimes eating out. (Refers to alternating locations/scenarios)

The final 「する」 is a core part of the pattern, but it can be conjugated for politeness (します, した, しません, etc.) or changed to express desire (したい – want to do such things) as shown in section 3.

It is generally not replaced by a completely different main verb (like 見みる or 食たべる) at the end of the pattern. While 「する」 can be omitted in very casual or abrupt speech, especially when the context is extremely clear, it’s usually necessary for grammatical completeness.