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か vs と vs や

か vs と vs や

With which suggestion, am I most likely to get drunk?

a. ビール ワインを のみましょう。
b. ビール ワインを のみましょう。
c. ビール ワインを のみましょう。
d. no difference

Particles か、と、や

  • : “or” or a question marker
  • : exhaustive “and” i.e. “A と B” means “A and B only, nothing else.”
  • : “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 ワインを のみましょう。

Having said that, c. ビール ワインを のみましょう does include soft drink while b. ビール ワインを のみましょう doesn’t.

Some more examples

あさごはんに ごはん 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 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 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 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 おにぎりをどうぞ。
Please help yourself to bread, rice balls, and so on for breakfast.

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