とか～とか (toka toka) – Meaning & Usage

とか～とか means things like; among others. It is a JLPT N4 Japanese grammar pattern used to express this idea in natural Japanese.

This English meaning is written independently from the source list so it answers the learner question directly: what does とか～とか mean and when should you use it?

What does とか～とか mean?

Use とか～とか when you want to express things like; among others in a Japanese sentence.

Natural translations include:

things like; among others
things like
among others

How to form とか～とか

Noun/phrase + とか + Noun/phrase + とか

Noun/phrase + とか + noun/phrase + とか
とか～とか
related form: など

When is とか～とか used?

Use とか～とか in situations like:

reading or writing JLPT N4-level sentences
making a sentence more precise than a basic N5 pattern
recognizing natural grammar in conversation or short passages

Tone and register:

usually neutral unless the pattern itself is casual, humble, honorific, or written
common in JLPT N4 grammar study and everyday examples

とか～とか example sentences

週末(しゅうまつ)は映画(えいが)を見(み)るとか、買(か)い物(もの)するとかします。

On weekends, I do things like watching movies and shopping.

日本(にほん)料理(りょうり)では寿司(すし)とかラーメンとかが好(す)きです。

For Japanese food, I like things like sushi and ramen.

旅行(りょこう)には服(ふく)とか薬(くすり)とかを持(も)って行(い)きます。

I will bring things like clothes and medicine on the trip.

友達(ともだち)とカフェに行(い)くとか、公園(こうえん)を歩(ある)くとかしました。

With my friend, I did things like going to a cafe and walking in the park.

漢字(かんじ)とか文法(ぶんぽう)とかを復習(ふくしゅう)しました。

I reviewed things like kanji and grammar.

Nuance of とか～とか

The key nuance is things like; among others in context, not a word-for-word English replacement.

This matters because とか～とか often changes the relationship between actions, people, time, or evidence in the sentence. Read the whole sentence before choosing the English translation.

とか～とか vs など

とか～とか

Lists examples casually; focuses on things like; among others

週末は映画を見るとか、買い物するとかします。

On weekends, I do things like watching movies and shopping.

など

General exemplification; may change the tone, evidence, direction, or relationship in the sentence

Common mistakes with とか～とか

❌

Copying a dictionary gloss without checking the sentence context

✅

Read the whole sentence to confirm the nuance fits before translating

❌

Using the wrong verb, adjective, or noun form before とか

✅

Use plain-form verbs or nouns before each とか

❌

Confusing とか～とか with など because the English can sound similar

✅

Review both patterns in context so you feel the difference in tone and register

Is とか～とか on the JLPT?

Yes. とか～とか is commonly taught as JLPT N4 grammar.

recognize it in reading
understand its nuance in context
use it in simple original sentences

Practice questions for とか～とか

Write one short sentence using the basic structure.

production

Replace the subject, time, or object and keep the same grammar point.

variation

Compare your sentence with the related pattern above.

comparison

Learning path for とか～とか

Make one short sentence with とか～とか using its most literal meaning.

Compare it with それに to see how listing nuance changes.

Add し or でも and observe the difference in tone and scope.

Write one sentence that changes the subject or time expression, and one that contrasts it with a related pattern below.

それに — also; in addition.
し — and; what’s more.
でも — or something; how about.
も — as much as; surprisingly many.

Learn とか～とか with Hane

If you want to review とか～とか together with the related patterns above, Hane helps you practice Japanese in short, focused sessions.

Browse more lessons here:

FAQ about とか～とか

What does とか～とか (toka toka) mean in Japanese?

とか～とか (toka toka) means “things like; among others”. It is JLPT N4 grammar. Use とか～とか when you want to express things like; among others in a Japanese sentence.

How do you form とか～とか (toka toka)?

Noun/phrase + とか + Noun/phrase + とか Noun/phrase + とか + noun/phrase + とかとか～とか related form: など

What is the difference between とか～とか and など?

とか～とか: Lists examples casually; focuses on things like; among others. など: General exemplification; may change the tone, evidence, direction, or relationship in the sentence.

What is an example sentence with とか～とか (toka toka)?

週末は映画を見るとか、買い物するとかします。 — On weekends, I do things like watching movies and shopping.