What is ya?

Ya, also transcribed as yae, is a Japanese particle. It is a linking particle used to list items in a non-exhaustive manner. Unlike the particle to, which implies a complete list, ya suggests that there are other similar items not explicitly mentioned. It is often translated as "and" or "or" in English, but with the important caveat that the list is not comprehensive.

Example:

• "Ringo ya banana nado" (りんごやバナナなど) - "Apples and bananas, etc."

Here, ringo ya banana indicates that apples and bananas are just examples, and the speaker might be referring to other fruits as well. Using ya gives the list a more casual and open-ended feel compared to to.