だの～だのthis, that and the other
You list what someone keeps saying, asking for or complaining about, and show that you are tired of hearing it.
Every time I see him he is grumbling about his company: the pay is low, he doesn't get enough time off, and so on.
How to form it
Plain form + だの + plain form + だの（+ と）
A noun or a な-adjective goes straight on: 天才だの, 嫌だの. と often follows the second one: …だのと言って.
- Before it
- What they said, as they said it: 安い, 疲れた, 時間がない. Or things they want, or names they use.
- After it
- What they do with all that: 言う, 文句を言う, 騒ぐ, 言い訳をする.
- Tone
- Fed up, nearly always. You repeat their words without taking them seriously.
- Where you'll meet it
- Conversation, when someone is grumbling about someone else, and novels.
In use
He says he's busy, he's tired, this and that, and leaves all the housework to me.
People called him a genius, a revolutionary and whatnot, but he himself seemed put out by it.
She said she had plans and this and that, and in the end she didn't come.
だの何だの: this, that and whatever.
It isn't a neutral list
English "and so on" is neutral. だの has an edge: on a menu or a notice it would sneer at the things listed.
My little brother says he's sleepy, he's hungry, things like that.
You are passing it on.
My little brother keeps on about being sleepy, being hungry and so on.
And you have heard enough.
Listing things, not words, it is milder: a lot of stuff, more than enough.
My mother comes home with meat, vegetables, more than we can ever eat.
Close neighbours
やら～やらN2
A couple of things out of a jumble that felt like a lot. No sneer at them.
Before the move, what with packing, paperwork and everything else, I didn't have a moment to myself.
Other pairs that name two things
なり～なりN1
Offers options: "A, or B, or something". Advice, a request or your own plan follows.
Please reply by phone, by email, whichever suits you.
Says it makes no difference: "whether A or B". Written, firm.
Student or working adult, everyone must follow this library's rules.
といい～といいN1
Gives two grounds for one verdict: "the A, the B, all good", or all bad.
The location, the service: you can't fault this hotel.
Puts it in between: "neither quite A nor quite B".
His reply was vague, neither clearly a yes nor a no.
Means everywhere, or at all hours: "A, B, all over".
The children came home covered in mud: faces, arms, everywhere.
Check yourself
1How does the person speaking feel?
姉は、
Choose an answer to see why.
2Which would a hotel put on a notice?
Choose an answer to see why.
More sentences
The guest went on and on: the room was small, the view was bad, and so on.
He couldn't read it, he had no time: with excuses like that he didn't even try to look through the material.
At the meeting it was nothing but objections: there's no precedent, it's too risky, and so on.
My daughter is forever wanting things: new clothes, shoes, you name it.