# ERROR: parse error: playbooks must be formatted as a YAML list, got \<type 'dict'

**URL:** <https://forum.ansible.com/t/error-parse-error-playbooks-must-be-formatted-as-a-yaml-list-got-type-dict/18096>\
**Category:** Ansible Project\
**Created:** [April 27, 2015, 7:25pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/error-parse-error-playbooks-must-be-formatted-as-a-yaml-list-got-type-dict/18096 "2015-04-27T19:25:42Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Raj\_Desikavinayagomp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/54ee81/32.png) [@Raj\_Desikavinayagomp](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Raj_Desikavinayagomp)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2015, 7:25pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/error-parse-error-playbooks-must-be-formatted-as-a-yaml-list-got-type-dict/18096/1 "2015-04-27T19:25:42Z")

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Hello,  
I am using ansible 1.9.0.1  
I get the following error. Let me know if I am doing something incorrect.

ansible-playbook site.yml --syntax-check

Following error occurs

ERROR: parse error: playbooks must be formatted as a YAML list, got \<type ‘dict’

# site.yml file

hosts: ansible\_slaves

user: ansible

sudo: yes

#Define user and password variables

vars:

# created with:

password : dummyuser

user : dummypassword

# Define task to add user

tasks:

- name: add user

action: user name={{ user }} password={{ password }} update\_password=always

shell=/bin/bash home=/home/{{ user }}

tags:

- user

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Brian\_Coca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6de8d8/32.png) [@Brian\_Coca](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Brian_Coca)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2015, 7:28pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/error-parse-error-playbooks-must-be-formatted-as-a-yaml-list-got-type-dict/18096/2 "2015-04-27T19:28:43Z")

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you were missing a dash (-), see below:

# site.yml file  
- hosts: ansible\_slaves  
&nbsp;&nbsp;user: ansible  
&nbsp;&nbsp;sudo: yes

&nbsp;&nbsp;#Define user and password variables  
&nbsp;&nbsp;vars:  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;# created with:  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;password : dummyuser  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;user : dummypassword

&nbsp;&nbsp;# Define task to add user  
&nbsp;&nbsp;tasks:  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;- name: add user  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;action: user name={{ user }} password={{ password }}  
update\_password=always  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;shell=/bin/bash home=/home/{{ user }}  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;tags:  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;- user

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Raj\_Desikavinayagomp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/54ee81/32.png) [@Raj\_Desikavinayagomp](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Raj_Desikavinayagomp)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2015, 7:34pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/error-parse-error-playbooks-must-be-formatted-as-a-yaml-list-got-type-dict/18096/3 "2015-04-27T19:34:03Z")

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Thanks Brian for the quick response. This fixed it.