Meaning & Usage
✨ Basic Meaning
‘And so on’, ‘etcetera’, or ‘such as’.
🎯 Primary Function
To indicate that the items or actions mentioned are non-exhaustive examples.
📋 Grammar Structure
[Verb (Dictionary/Ta Form)] + など / [Noun] + など
[i-Adjective (Dictionary Form)] + など
[na-Adjective] + な + など
[Verb Nai-Form] + など
🎭 Usage Contexts
Formal Situations
Commonly used in reports, news, and formal presentations to provide examples without listing everything.
Informal Situations
Used in daily conversation, though often replaced by ‘toka’ or ‘nanka’ in casual speech.
Written Language
The standard particle for listing ‘etc.’ in writing.
Spoken Language
Used frequently, though ‘nado’ sounds more structured and slightly more formal than ‘toka’.
💡 Common Applications
Listing Nouns
Used to list examples of items belonging to the same category.
Example: パンや牛乳などを買いました。(I bought bread, milk, and so on.)
Listing Actions
Used with verbs to give examples of actions taken.
Example: 本を読むなどして過ごしました。(I spent time doing things like reading books.)
Modifying Nouns
Used with ‘no’ to categorize a list of examples under a general heading.
Example: テニスなどのスポーツが好きです。(I like sports such as tennis.)
Frequency
Very High
Difficulty
JLPT N4
Tag:
Example Sentences
Example #1
スーパーでりんごやバナナなどを買いました。
Furigana: スーパーでりんごやバナナなどをかい（買）いました。
Romaji: Sūpā de ringo ya banana nado o kaimashita.
English: I bought apples, bananas, and so on at the supermarket.
Example #2
日本語や英語などの言葉を話せます。
Furigana: にほんご（日本語）やえいご（英語）などのことば（言葉）をはな（話）せます。
Romaji: Nihongo ya Eigo nado no kotoba o hanasemasu.
English: I can speak languages such as Japanese and English.
Example #3
図書館では静かにするなどのルールがあります。
Furigana: としょかん（図書館）ではしず（静）かにするなどのルールがあります。
Romaji: Toshokan de wa shizuka ni suru nado no rūru ga arimasu.
English: There are rules in the library, such as being quiet.
Example #4
山や海などへ行くのが好きです。
Furigana: やま（山）やうみ（海）などへい（行）くのがす（好）きです。
Romaji: Yama ya umi nado e iku no ga suki desu.
English: I like going to places like the mountains and the sea.
Example #5
走る、泳ぐなどの運動は大切です。
Furigana: はし（走）る、およ（泳）ぐなどのうんどう（運動）はたいせつ（大切）です。
Romaji: Hashiru, oyogu nado no undō wa taisetsu desu.
English: Exercises like running and swimming are important.
Example #6
忙しい時などは、パンだけで済ませます。
Furigana: いそが（忙）しいとき（時）などは、パンだけです（済）ませます。
Romaji: Isogashii toki nado wa, pan dake de sumasemasu.
English: When I’m busy, I just make do with things like bread.
Example #7
彼に相談するなど、色々な方法があります。
Furigana: かれ（彼）にそうだん（相談）するなど、いろいろ（色々）なほうほう（方法）があります。
Romaji: Kare ni sōdan suru nado, iroiro na hōhō ga arimasu.
English: There are various methods, such as consulting with him.
Example #8
映画館や美術館などは、月曜日が休みです。
Furigana: えいがかん（映画館）やびじゅつかん（美術館）などは、げつようび（月曜日）がやす（休）みです。
Romaji: Eigakan ya bijutsukan nado wa, getsuyōbi ga yasumi desu.
English: Places like movie theaters and art museums are closed on Mondays.
Example #9
ケーキやクッキーなど、甘いものが大好きです。
Furigana: ケーキやクッキーなど、あま（甘）いものがだいす（大好）きです。
Romaji: Kēki ya kukkī nado, amai mono ga daisuki desu.
English: I love sweet things like cakes and cookies.
Example #10
掃除や洗濯などの家事は大変です。
Furigana: そうじ（掃除）やせんたく（洗濯）などのかじ（家事）はたいへん（大変）です。
Romaji: Sōji ya sentaku nado no kaji wa taihen desu.
English: Housework like cleaning and laundry is difficult.
Notes & Nuances
📌 Important Points
Humble/Downplaying Usage
‘Nado’ can be used to humble oneself or downplay an item’s importance.
Example: 私などにはまだ早いです。(It’s too early for someone like me.)
Pairing with Particle ‘Ya’
It is almost always paired with ‘ya’ when listing nouns to clarify that the list is incomplete.
Example: や、など (Ya… nado)
⚠️ Common Mistakes
❌ りんごとバナナなどを食べました。
✅ りんごやバナナなどを食べました。
While ‘to’ can be used, ‘ya’ is the standard particle to pair with ‘nado’ when listing examples.
❌ 掃除など家事。
✅ 掃除をするなどの家事。(Housework like cleaning.)
When using ‘nado’ with a verb to describe a noun, you need the dictionary form of the verb.
🏛️ Cultural Context
Politeness Level: Polite and standard. It is suitable for both formal writing and polite conversation.
Social Situations: Used when you want to avoid sounding exhaustive or when you want to show humility by implying there are other things as well.
Regional Variations: Standard across Japan.
🔍 Subtle Differences
など (nado) vs. とか (toka)
‘Nado’ is more formal and used in writing; ‘toka’ is casual and used in speech.
When to use: Use ‘nado’ in exams/essays; use ‘toka’ with friends.
など (nado) vs. なんか (nanka)
‘Nanka’ is very casual and often carries a slightly negative or dismissive nuance.
When to use: Use ‘nanka’ when you want to emphasize that something is trivial.
📝 Conjugation Notes
‘Nado’ is a particle and does not conjugate. It directly follows nouns or the dictionary form of verbs.
🔊 Pronunciation Tips
Pronounce both syllables clearly (na-do). In fast speech, it doesn’t usually change its sound.
🧠 Memory Tips
Think of ‘nado’ as the formal version of ‘etc.’ You can remember it as ‘Nado = Not All Done’, meaning there are more examples not mentioned.
Other Grammar
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