〜たり〜たり tari ~ tari

〜たり〜たり（tari ~ tari）means “do things like ~ and ~ (non-exhaustive list of actions)”. Made by adding り to the plain past (た) form of two or more verbs, ending with する. Formation: Vた + り 〜 Vた + り + する

do things like ~ and ~ (non-exhaustive list of actions)

N5

Formation

Vた + り 〜 Vた + り + する

Explanation

Made by adding り to the plain past (た) form of two or more verbs, ending with する. It lists representative actions as examples, implying others may also occur (it is not an exhaustive or strictly ordered list, unlike 〜て which sequences events). Often translated 'do such things as A and B'.

Examples

にちようびはほんをよんだり、おんがくをきいたりします。
にちようびはほんをよんだり、おんがくをきいたりします。
On Sundays I do things like read books and listen to music.
へやをいったりきたりしないでください。
へやをいったりきたりしないでください。
Please stop pacing back and forth across the room.

Note

〜たり is for representative examples (others implied); 〜て lists a complete sequence in order.

FAQ

〜たり〜たり — what does it mean and how is it used?

do things like ~ and ~ (non-exhaustive list of actions). Made by adding り to the plain past (た) form of two or more verbs, ending with する. It lists representative actions as examples, implying others may also occur (it is not an exhaustive or strictly ordered list, unlike 〜て which sequences events). Often translated 'do such things as A and B'.

〜たり〜たり — how do you form it?

Vた + り 〜 Vた + り + する

〜たり〜たり — any usage notes?

〜たり is for representative examples (others implied); 〜て lists a complete sequence in order.

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