With which suggestion, am I most likely to get drunk?
a. ビールか ワインを のみましょう。
b. ビールと ワインを のみましょう。
c. ビールや ワインを のみましょう。
d. no difference
Particles か、と、や
- か: “or” or a question marker
- と: exhaustive “and” i.e. “A と B” means “A and B only, nothing else.”
- や: “and” to give examples i.e. “A や B” means “A, B and so on.”
So, the actual meaning of each sentence above is:
a. Let’s drink beer or wine.
b. Let’s drink both beer and wine but nothing else.
c. Let’s drink beer and wine and whatever.
The correct answer is most likely to be c. ビールや ワインを のみましょう。
Having said that, c. ビールや ワインを のみましょう does include soft drink while b. ビールと ワインを のみましょう doesn’t.
Some more examples
あさごはんに ごはんと みそしるを たべます。
I eat rice and miso soup only.あさごはんに ごはんや みそしるを たべます。
I eat rice, miso soup, and so on.あさごはんに パンか おにぎりをどうぞ。
Please help yourself to bread OR rice balls for breakfast.あさごはんに パンと おにぎりをどうぞ。
Please help yourself to bread AND rice balls for breakfast.あさごはんに パンや おにぎりをどうぞ。
Please help yourself to bread, rice balls, and so on for breakfast.
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