JLPT N1 Grammar

〜は〜は〜わで (wa... wa... wa de)

〜は〜は〜わで (wa... wa... wa de)
"and on top of that; this and that"

This expression is used to list multiple causes, reasons, or circumstances that are simultaneously occurring, leading to a specific (usually overwhelming or problematic) result. It typically conveys a sense of being flustered, troubled, or extremely busy due to a chaotic accumulation of events.

  • Formality: Neutral to Casual (Spoken). While it can appear in written narratives, it is most common in spoken Japanese when explaining a stressful situation.
  • Context: Business (explaining a busy period), everyday life (describing a chaotic day), or personal reports.
  • Emotional Tone: Often carries a nuance of complaint, exhaustion, or being overwhelmed. The speaker is emphasizing that "on top of X, there is Y, making the whole situation too much to handle."

Format

  • [Noun] + は + [Noun] + は + わで
    円安は物価高はわで、生活が苦しい。What with the weak yen and high prices, life is hard.
    仕事は山積みだわ、家事は溜まってるわで、休む暇がない。 Between the mountain of work and the piles of housework, there is no time to rest.
  • [Verb (Plain Form)] + は + [Verb (Plain Form)] + は + わで
    客は来るは電話は鳴るはわで、息つく暇もない。What with customers coming and phones ringing, I don't even have time to breathe.
    雨は降るわ、風は吹くわで、散歩どころではない。 What with the rain falling and the wind blowing, a walk is out of the question.

Example sentences

  • 、、。
    With a presentation and a business trip both happening this week, I don't have a moment to breathe.
  • 、、。
    What with bugs being reported and the server crashing, the engineering team is in a hellish situation.
  • 、、。
    What with competitors cutting prices and our ad budget being slashed, we need to rework the marketing strategy.
  • 、、。
    With the weak yen progressing and raw material costs skyrocketing, we are struggling to turn a profit.
  • 、、。
    What with the boss being away and subordinates making mistakes, the manager caught in the middle has it rough.

Similar Grammar

〜やら〜やら (yara... yara)

“...and... (and others like them)”
カバンの中は、ペンやらノートやらでいっぱいだ。 The inside of the bag is full of things like pens and notebooks.

Difference:

  • Used for listing things/reasons of a similar type.
  • It has a more neutral tone and doesn't necessarily imply that the speaker is "overwhelmed" or that the items are directly causing a bad result.

〜だの〜だの (dano... dano)

“...and... (complaining)”
彼は痛いだの、疲れただのと文句ばかり言っている。 He is doing nothing but complaining, saying things like it hurts or he's tired.

Difference:

  • Specifically carries a nuance of disapproval, criticism, or annoyance toward what someone else is saying or doing.
  • It sounds more judgmental than the "I'm overwhelmed" feeling of wa... wa... wa de.

〜といい〜といい (to ii... to ii)

“both... and...”
この映画はストーリーといい映像といい、最高だ。 This movie is the best, both in terms of its story and its visuals.

Difference:

  • Evaluates two specific aspects of a single subject (e.g., "Both the color and the design are great").
  • It focuses on quality or characteristics rather than a pile-up of external circumstances.

〜ついでに (tsuide ni)

“while/incidentally”
コンビニへ行くついでに、郵便物を出してくる。 While I’m going to the convenience store, I will mail these letters.

Difference:

  • One action is the main focus, and another is done along the way.
  • It describes a sequential relationship rather than the simultaneous "perfect storm" of stressors described by wa... wa... wa de.

JLPT Practice Questions

Now let’s test your understanding.

Q1. ので、（　　　）（　　　）（　　　）、はもできなかった。
A. / /
B. / /
C. / /
D. / /

Q2. のは、の2の50（　　　）。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q3. は、（　　　）（　　　）（　　　）（　　　）、だ。
A. / / /
B. / / /
C. / / /
D. / / /

Q4. のにとって、はののつ（　　　）。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q5. は、は（　　　）わで、もない。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q6. のでをのは、（　　　）。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q7. のは、は（　　　）わで、だけだった。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q8. がしているなど、（　　　）。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q9. からが（　　　）わ、（　　　）わで、にをかけてしまった。
A. /
B. /
C. /
D. /

Q10. はに100（　　　）、へのは。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q11. のは、（　　　）（　　　）（　　　）（　　　）、なだった。
A. / / /
B. / / /
C. / / /
D. / / /

Q12. のは、（　　　）。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q13. は（　　　）わ、は（　　　）わで、どころではなかった。
A. /
B. /
C. /
D. /

Q14. のでは、のは20（　　　）。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q15. （　　　）（　　　）で、のは。
A. /
B. /
C. /
D. /

Continue Your Journey to Native-Level Fluency

Great work finishing this session! Achieving N1-level precision is about layering these subtle distinctions until they become second nature in your professional life.

To maintain your momentum and eliminate any remaining blind spots, head back to our JLPT N1 Grammar List. Use it to systematically check off each point and refine your ability to navigate complex Japanese environments with the confidence of a native speaker.

JLPT N1 Grammar List

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