# だの～だの: and; and the like; and so forth ~
> Learn how to use だの～だの, a JLPT N1 Japanese grammar point meaning and; and the like; and so forth ~, with structure, nuance, examples, mistakes, and comparisons.
JLPT level: N1 · Updated: 2026-05-18 · Canonical: https://hane-app.com/blog/n1-dano-dano/
**だの～だの** means **and; and the like; and so forth ~**. It is a **JLPT N1** Japanese grammar pattern used to list items or actions in a casual, often dismissive way, suggesting an incomplete list with a tone of annoyance or triviality.
だの～だの adds a casual, dismissive feel to your list.
This grammar point appears in spoken Japanese, casual writing, and JLPT N1 reading passages where character attitude matters. If you want to list things while showing mild irritation or that the items are unimportant, **だの～だの** is a useful pattern to learn because it gives your Japanese a very natural, conversational feel.
## What does だの～だの mean?
Use **だの～だの** when you want to list several things in a way that implies "and such", "and the like", or "and so forth", often with a negative or dismissive slant.
Natural translations include:
- and; and the like; and so forth ~
- things like X and Y
- X, Y, and whatnot (often with a sigh)
The tone is always informal. The speaker isn't trying to give a complete, neutral list—they are listing examples to make a point, complain, or show that the items are trivial.
## How to form だの～だの
Attach **だの** to the plain (dictionary) form of a word. You can list nouns, verbs, い‑adjectives, and な‑adjectives in the same list. The pattern repeats for each item.
Examples of the pattern:
- ケーキだのクッキーだの
- 走るだの泳ぐだの
- うれしいだの悲しいだの
- 静かだのうるさいだの
Sometimes **など** is added at the end to emphasize "and so on". In JLPT questions, the wrong answer choices often use a similar listing particle but fail to match the casual, dismissive tone.
## When is だの～だの used?
Use **だの～だの** in situations like:
- listing things you find annoying, excessive, or trivial
- quoting someone's repeated complaints or demands
- showing that a list is only a sample, and the rest is similarly bothersome
- adding a sarcastic or eye-rolling tone
Tone and register:
- very informal; common in daily conversation, manga, and light blogs
- not used in formal writing, business situations, or polite speech
- frequent in JLPT N1 dialogue, where the speaker is frustrated or dismissive
## だの～だの example sentences
彼はゲームだの漫画だのに夢中で、勉強しない。
He just gets into games and manga and stuff and never studies.
#dismissive #complaint
母が毎日、掃除しろだの宿題しろだのうるさい。
Every day my mom bugs me about cleaning my room, doing my homework, and all that.
#nagging #casual
食べ物だの飲み物だの、たくさん買ってきた。
I bought a bunch of stuff — food, drinks, and whatnot.
#neutral_list #informal
あの人の話はいつも愚痴だの不満だのばかりで、聞いてて疲れる。
That person always talks about complaints, dissatisfactions, and the like — it wears me out.
#dismissive #annoyance
仕事が忙しいだの疲れただのって、結局サボってるだけだろ。
Saying you're busy, you're tired, and all that—you're just slacking off in the end.
#sarcasm #casual
After reading these, ask yourself what job **だの～だの** is doing: it lists examples informally while hinting that the list is incomplete and possibly annoying. That's the nuance beyond a simple "and" or "or".
## Nuance of だの～だの
The key nuance is **dismissive, casual, and non-exhaustive listing**. Unlike neutral listing particles like や or と, だの～だの injects the speaker's attitude: that the items are trivial, repetitive, or just "stuff like that". You can picture the speaker shrugging or rolling their eyes.
In many cases, だの～だの is used when quoting or mimicking someone else's words (real or imagined), making the list sound like a stream of complaints. For example, a child might imitate a teacher's nagging: 「宿題忘れただの、教科書忘れただの言ったら怒られた」. This makes the grammar particularly expressive.
Because the pattern is so strongly informal, using it in a polite conversation can sound rude or sarcastic. Pay attention to the context: it fits perfectly in casual chats, but not in a meeting.
## だの～だの vs やら～やら
Both だの～だの and やら～やら list items with an "and such" nuance, but the tone and usage differ.
だの～だの
- casual to rude
- dismissive, annoyed tone
- often for quoting complaints
- very informal, not for polite situations
やら～やら
- neutral to casual
- used when things are mixed or you can't decide
- common for emotions (嬉しいやら悲しいやら)
- can be used in slightly more formal contexts, but still cautious
A quick switch example:
- 嬉しいだの悲しいだの — sounds like you're sarcastically listing someone else's exaggerated emotions.
- 嬉しいやら悲しいやら — describes your own mixed feelings neutrally.
In JLPT N1 exams, you'll often need to distinguish the two based on the speaker's attitude. If the sentence has a whiff of irritation, **だの** is likely the correct choice.
## Common mistakes with だの～だの
❌ 上司に「
企画だの
会議だの、
大変ですね」と
言った — using だの with a superior sounds flippant.
✅ 上司には「企画や会議など、大変ですね」と丁寧に言う。
❌ 彼は
親切だの
優しいだの、
本当にいい
人です — praising someone with だの sounds sarcastic.
✅ 彼は親切で優しくて、本当にいい人です。
❌ プレゼントに
花だの
本だのをもらって
嬉しかった — attaching だの to a happy list still sounds off.
✅ 花や本などをもらって嬉しかった。 (Use や/など for neutral lists.)
❌ ケーキだのおいしいだの — mixing a noun and an adjective while forgetting the adjective needs plain form is okay, but おいしいだの itself is a bit odd because it puts "delicious" on the same dismissive list. If you mean "cake and things like that were delicious," better say ケーキなどおいしかった.
A practical self-check: after writing a sentence with だの, ask "Does this sound like I'm a bit annoyed or just rattling off items carelessly?" If the answer is no, swap it for や or など.
## Is だの～だの on the JLPT?
Yes. **だの～だの** is firmly a JLPT N1 grammar point. You will most often encounter it in reading comprehension passages where a character is speaking informally, complaining, or teasing. The test expects you to understand:
- the dismissive, non-exhaustive list nuance
- the informality of the pattern
- why it's inappropriate in formal settings
For test preparation, focus on recognizing the tone: if a speaker in a dialogue says 「仕事だの人間関係だの」, you can infer they’re venting, not making a professional report.
## Practice questions for だの～だの
1.
Think of something a parent, teacher, or boss nags you about. Write a sentence using **だの～だの** to list their repeated requests.
2.
You're chatting with a friend about things that annoy you about your daily routine. List three or four items using **だの～だの** to show you're fed up.
3.
Read the following dialogue. Why did the speaker choose **だの～だの**? What's the mood?
「朝から電車遅れるだの、傘忘れるだの、ついてないなあ」
4.
Rewrite a neutral list (using や) into a dismissive one using **だの～だの**, and notice how the meaning shifts.
1. **Form the pattern** – Put だの after plain forms. Practice with simple items: 「雨だの風だの」.
2. **Add the attitude** – Use it when you're complaining or when you want to sound like you're quoting someone's nagging.
3. **Contrast with neutral lists** – Take a sentence with や and convert it to だの. Notice how the tone instantly becomes casual and a bit whiny.
4. **Compare similar patterns** – Check
だろうに (expressing regret) or
であれ～であれ (listing possibilities) to see how different list patterns convey different shades of feeling.
## Related grammar to review next
- [だろうに](/blog/n1-darou-ni/) – adds a feeling of regret or sympathy; a completely different tone but also used in casual complaints.
- [だに～だにしない](/blog/n1-dani-dani-shinai/) – emphasizes “not even” with a very formal/classical nuance; the opposite register of だの.
- [であれ～であれ](/blog/n1-de-are-de-are) – “whether A or B”; a formal, hypothetical listing; contrast with the casual dismissiveness of だの.
- [ぶる・ぶって・ぶった](/blog/n1-buru-butte-butta/) – “to act like”; used for describing annoying behavior, often paired with だの listing of those behaviors.
## Learn だの～だの with Hane
If you want to review **だの～だの** together with the related patterns above, Hane helps you practice Japanese in short, focused sessions.
Browse more lessons here:
- [All grammar lessons](/blog/)
- [JLPT N1 grammar lessons](/blog/n1/)