What is the common form of "and"?

[koneko2]

Originally Posted by MMM

I am sorry, I wasn't clear.

"I like Japanese and Chinese food"

和食と中華が好きです。

It sounds like you like Japanese and Chinese food exclusively.

和食や中華が好きです。

"I like things like Japanese and Chinsese food."

It sounds like you are into Japanese and Chinese food, but probably other Asian foods which are similar, too.

That's the difference.

I am sorry but I really have never heard of such a difference in implications between the two before, not even in the Japanese Encyclopedia that I use.

Sometimes individuals will develop a particular habitual implication when they select one word instead of another.

[Nanuq]

The difference between や and と is the simpliest thing about "and" in japanese language. Another topic was that くて behind an i-adjective, or the で behind a na-adjective. It will be more complicate, if you want to connect sentences with an "and". Yes, English is an easy language.

[MMM]

Originally Posted by koneko2

I am sorry but I really have never heard of such a difference in implications between the two before, not even in the Japanese Encyclopedia that I use.

Sometimes individuals will develop a particular habitual implication when they select one word instead of another.

This is pretty fundamental... and I wouldn't use an encyclopedia as a study guide.

It's fine if you want to disagree, but this is basic Japanese.

[vulgarshudder]

Uh yeah to and ya is pretty 101 stuff. ya is like saying 'etc' as well.

[SaginumaEki]

や is what MMM said. It's when you have a list. It's almost like し。

Like you can say:

今日は楽しかったし、きれいだった。Today was, umm, fun and umm clean. Shows unexclusivitiy and stuff.

or

今日は楽しくてきれいだった。Today was fun and clean.

(I just used random words. You get the picure.)

[koneko2]

Originally Posted by vulgarshudder

Uh yeah to and ya is pretty 101 stuff. ya is like saying 'etc' as well.

etc is など (nado)

[MMM]

Originally Posted by koneko2

etc is など (nado)

etc. is ALSO など

[Swedish]

Im getting really confused about what is wrong and correct...

[silentchaos]

So wait, ya is for a list type thing, but "to" is more for and?
So if i had to say, I had to buy eggs, milk and ham at the store. in japanese, I would use ya right?
But if i wanted to say The color of your eyes are green and brown, I would use "to"?

[LadyMoonlight]

The way I learned "ya" is pretty much what MMM said. It's "and" but not exclusive to just the things mentioned.

For instance (to use the previous ex.) : I'm buying milk and eggs and ham at the store. Use "ya"

I'm buying milk and eggs at the store. (If only buying those 2 things, use "to")

There's milk and eggs in the refrigerator. (I believe that using "ya" here is correct unless your fridge only contains milk and eggs.) Really this statement is "There's milk and eggs (and other things) in the fridge."

I hope this makes more sense (though I'm mostly reiterating using a different example)

LM