Skip to main content
All Japanese activities

Activities: と (to), や (ya), and other parallel markers

By: Mayumi Ito

Activity 1: Fill in the blanks

Complete the following short conversations by filling blanks with the words from the table and parallel markers. For Japanese sentences, use each slot per word. (Remember, a particle is a word!)

Example: ベン と マリア transcribed Ben to Mariameaning Ben and Maria

People who came to the partyPurchased ItemsTransportation to Osaka
(use only one method)

  • 👩ケイト meaning Kate

  • 👨ベン meaning Ben

  • 👩マリア meaning Maria

  • 👦翔平 meaning Shōhei

  • 👧直美 meaning Naomi

  • 👕ポロシャツ transcribed poro shatsumeaning polo shirt

  • 👜ハンドバッグ transcribed handobaggumeaning handbag

  • 🚅新幹線 transcribed shinkansenmeaning bullet train

  • ✈ 飛行機 transcribed hikōkimeaning airplane

  1. Speaker A:
    パーティーにはだれが来ましたか。
    Transcription: Pātii ni wa dare ga kimashita ka.
    Translation: Who came to your party?
    Speaker B:
    が来ました。
    Transcription: __ __ __ ga kimashita.
    Translation: __ and __ came. (along with others)
  2. Speaker A:
    今日何を買いましたか。
    Transcription: Kyō nani o kaimashita ka.
    Translation: What did you buy today?
    Speaker B:
    を買いました。
    Transcription: __ __ __ o kaimashita.
    Translation: I bought __ and __.
  3. Speaker A:
    どうやって東京から大阪まで行きますか。
    Transcription: Dōyatte Tōkyō kara Ōsaka made ikimasu ka.
    Translation: How are you traveling from Tokyo to Osaka?
    Speaker B:
    で行きます。
    Transcription: __ __ __ de ikimasu.
    Translation: I'll travel by __ or __.

Activity 2: Fix the errors!

The underlined sentences have one error each. Find and correct it!
  1. 来週は１日しか休めません。たぶん火曜日とか水曜日に休みます。
    Transcription: Raishū wa ichi nichi shika yasumemasen. Tabun kayōbi to ka suiyōbi ni yasumimasu.
    Translation: I can only have one day-off next week. I’ll probably have a day-off on Tuesday or Wednesday.

    Corrected sentence:

  2. 今日は動物園に行きました。ゾウやキリンやライオンやを見ましたよ。
    Transcription: Kyō wa dōbutsuen ni ikimashita. Zō ya kirin ya raion ya o mimashita yo.
    Translation: We went to the zoo today. We saw elephants, giraffes, lions and other animals.

    Corrected sentence:

  3. 日本の国旗は「日の丸」といいます。色は赤か白です。
    Transcription: Nihon no kokki wa “hinomaru” to iimasu. Iro wa aka ka shiro desu.
    Translation: The Japanese national flag is called “Hinomaru.” The color is red and white.

    Corrected sentence:

  4. モニカさんは日本語と中国語など、全部で10か国語が話せます。
    Transcription: Monika san wa Nihongo to Chūgokugo nado, zenbu de jukkakokugo ga hanasemasu.
    Translation: Monica can speak ten languages in total, including Japanese, Chinese and so on.

    Corrected sentence:

Activity 3: Fill in the blanks using に (ni) and とか (toka)

Jack is talking with his friends on three different occasions. Let’s help him complete his lines, using the clues given in each box. Use each slot per word (remember, a particle is one word!)

Example: すし と 天ぷら transcribed sushi to tenpura

  1. Mika:
    ジャックさん、どうしたの？
    Transcription: Jack san, dō shita no?
    Translation: What happened, Jack?
    Jack 😩 :
    昼ごはん、食べすぎた・・・。
    Transcription: Hirugohan, tabesugita…
    Translation: I ate too much at lunch...
    Mika:
    えー、何食べたの？
    Transcription: Ē, nani tabeta no?
    Translation: What, what did you eat?
    Jack 😩 :
    。食べ放題だったんだ。
    Transcription: __ __ __ __ __ __ __. Tabehōdai dattanda.
    Translation: __ and __ and __ and __. It was an all-you-can-eat buffet, you know.
    What Jack ate at lunch

    • 🍣すし meaning sushi

    • 🍤 天ぷら meaning tempura

    • 🍜ラーメン meaning ramen

    • 🍛カレーライス transcribed karēraisumeaning curry rice

  2. Jack:
    今日はどうして なの？
    Transcription: Kyō wa dōshite __ __ __ nano?
    Translation: Why are you wearing __ __ __ today?
    Ryō:
    就職の面接があるんだ。
    Transcription: Shūshoku no mensetsu ga aru nada.
    Translation: I have a job interview.
    Jack:
    ふーん、いつもは なのに。
    Transcription: Fūn, itsumo wa __ __ __ nano ni.
    Translation: Hmm, you normally wear __ and __ don’t you?
    Ryō:
    うん、社会人になるのもたいへんだよ。
    Transcription: Un, shakaijin ni naru no mo taihen da yo.
    Translation: Yeah, it’s hard to become a working adult, you know.
    What Ryō wears today

    • 👔 ワイシャツ transcribed waishatsumeaning dress shirt

    • 👔ネクタイ transcribed nekutaimeaning necktie

    What Ryō usually wears

    • 👕 Tシャツ transcribed tiishatsumeaning T-shirt

    • 👖 ジーパン transcribed jiipanmeaning jeans

  3. Mei:
    どんなスポーツが好き？
    Transcription: Donna supōtsu ga suki?
    Translation: What kind of sports do you like?
    Jack:
    フットボール バスケ スノボ 。
    Transcription: futtobōru __ basuke __ sunobo __.
    Translation: Football, basketball, and snowboarding.
    Mei:
    へえ、スポーツマンなんだね。
    Transcription: Hē, supōtsuman nanda ne.
    Translation: Oh, you’re an athlete, aren’t you!
    Jack:
    いや、テレビで見るだけだから。
    Transcription: Iya, terebi de miru dake dakara.
    Translation: Nope, I only watch them on TV.
    Jack's sports

    • 🏈フットボール transcribed futtobōrumeaning American Football

    • 🏀バスケ transcribed basukemeaning basketball

    • 🏂スノボ transcribed sunobomeaning snow boarding

    • 🏄サーフィン transcribed sāfinmeaning surfing

    • 🏊水泳 transcribed suieimeaning swimming

Activity 4: Create pairings

Let’s have a fun activity! Can you fill the blank to create a “typical combination” worthy of using the parallel marker に?
Word BankChoose a word, then choose a blank. You can also drag.
  1. ユーザーネームに transcribed yūzānēmu ni meaning username and
  2. 猫に transcribed neko nimeaning a cat and
  3. ポップコーンに transcribed poppukōn ni meaning popcorn and
  4. テントに transcribed tento nimeaning a tent and a
  5. すしに transcribed sushi nimeaning sushi and
  6. シャンプーに transcribed shanpū nimeaning shampoo and
  7. 地震に transcribed jishin nimeaning earthquakes and
  8. 梅に transcribed ume nimeaning Japanese apricot blossoms and a