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I would like to ask what exactly the usage of たり is in this sentence. I understand the sentence and I get that it's somehow linking the 2 things but would appreciate some insight on it since I've hardly got a concrete understanding of it.

季節によって果物はおいしくなったり、まずくなったりする

thanks.

Jack D
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    This is typically described as the 〜たり〜たりする construction. The り means nothing by itself, only when attached to the past form of a verb when the sentence ends in する. – frog Mar 16 '20 at 19:25
  • but how is it changing the sentence? or what would happen without it – Jack D Mar 16 '20 at 19:52
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    the answer is there: https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/55494/multiple-actions-%ef%bd%9e%e3%81%9f%e3%82%8a-%ef%bd%9e%e3%81%9f%e3%82%8a-%e3%81%99%e3%82%8b – Makoto Mar 16 '20 at 20:53
  • See also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_verb_conjugation#Perfective, particularly the _Usage_ note just under the table where it mentions the ～たり～たり construction. – Eiríkr Útlendi Mar 16 '20 at 20:56
  • Those examples are saying it is just listing actions but surely then my example sentence would say... 'depending on the season fruits become tasty, become not tasty' which doesn't make sense to me – Jack D Mar 16 '20 at 21:29
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    Japanese authors love being vague. One recent example from technical materials I was translating: 「この変数は Boolean で、価値は true、falseなどです。」 It's a flipping **boolean**. It can _only_ be true or false. What's with the など – Eiríkr Útlendi Mar 17 '20 at 16:38

1 Answers1

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It describes some different things that happen to the subject depending on time, situation, etc.

It may be easier to understand if you rephrase it as ～すること/ときもある. Your sentence means 季節によって果物はおいしくなるときもあれば、まずくなるときもある (here, あれば is not hypothesis or a condition, but the same as ～もあるし～もある).

たり can mention only one thing too, implying other things or something contrary to it.

e.g.
週末には公園に行ったりします。

This can mean:

  • I go to a park in addition to doing other activities at weekends.
  • I go to a park sometimes and don't go there at other times at weekends.
kaboc
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