KANJI
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TRANSLATOR
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DICTIONARY
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Particle YA (や)

1. 

The particle YA is used to enumerate of elements: noun + and + noun + and. However YA indicates that the list is not complete, that more elemtents not enumerated complete the list. To give an exhaustive list, the particle TO must be used instead of YA.

その店では、洋服や靴や帽子などを売っています。
その みせ では、ようふく や くつ や ぼうし など を うっています。
That shop sells [things such as] clothes, shoes and hats.
2. 

YA can also be found in the phrase "verb + ya ina ya", which means "no sooner had...", "as soon as..."

家に着くやいなや、雨が降り始めた。
いえ に つく や いな や、あめ が ふりはじめた。
No sooner had I gotten home than it started to rain.