Understanding “But” in Japanese: Usage and Examples

こんにちは(konnichiwa)! Hi, everyone. It's me Kanako. In this blog, I am sharing a great tip to learn Japanese along with some grammar and useful example sentences with English translations. You can search for them using the search bar.

I created this website to support my students and others learning Japanese. If you find my work helpful, please consider supporting it with a

Donation

In Japanese, the word “but” can be expressed in several ways, each with its own nuance and usage. Understanding how to use “but” effectively can greatly improve your conversational skills and comprehension. 

Separate Sentences

Use of “でも” (demo)

でも (demo) / だけど (dakedo): Casual ways to say “but.”

日本語は難しいです。でも、おもしろいです。
Hiragana: にほんごはむずかしいです。でも、おもしろいです。
Romaji: Nihongo wa muzukashii desu. Demo, omoshiroi desu.
English: Japanese is difficult. But it is interesting.

Use of “だけど” (dakedo)

でも (demo) / だけど (dakedo): Casual ways to say “but.”

日本語は難しいです。だけど、おもしろいです。
Hiragana: にほんごはむずかしいです。だけど、おもしろいです。
Romaji: Nihongo wa muzukashii desu. Dakedo, omoshiroi desu.
English: Japanese is difficult. But it is interesting.

Use of “しかし” (shikashi)

しかし (shikashi): A formal way to say “but,” often used in written language.

日本語は難しいです。しかし、おもしろいです。
Hiragana: にほんごはむずかしいです。しかし、おもしろいです。
Romaji: Nihongo wa muzukashii desu. Shikashi, omoshiroi desu.
English: “Japanese is difficult. However, it is interesting.”

One complete sentence

Use of “が” (ga)

“が” is a polite and formal way to express contrast, making it common in writing and formal speech.

日本語は難しいです、面白いです。
Hiragana: にほんごはむずかしいです、おもしろいです。
Romaji: Nihongo wa muzukashii desu ga, omoshiroi desu.
Translation: Japanese is difficult, but it is interesting.

Use of “けど” (kedo)

“けど” is more casual, perfect for everyday conversations and informal writing, allowing for a friendly tone.

日本語は難しい(です)けど、面白いです。
Hiragana: にほんごはむずかしい(です)けど、おもしろいです。
Romaji: Nihongo wa muzukashii (desu) kedo, omoshiroi desu.
Translation: Japanese is difficult, but it is interesting.

One Complete Sentence or Separate Sentences

For けれども (keredomo) and けれど (keredo), it could be one complete sentence or separate sentences.

Use of “けれども” (keredomo)

日本語は難しい(です)けれども、おもしろいです。
Hiragana: にほんごはむずかしい(です)けれども、おもしろいです。
Romaji: Nihongo wa muzukashii (desu) keredomo, omoshiroi desu.
English: “Japanese is difficult, but it is interesting.”

or

日本語は難しいです。けれども、おもしろいです。
Hiragana: にほんごはむずかしいです。けれども、おもしろいです。
Romaji: Nihongo wa muzukashii desu. Keredomo, omoshiroi desu.
English: “Japanese is difficult, but it is interesting.”

Use of “けれど” (keredo)

日本語は難しい(です)けれど、おもしろいです。
Hiragana: にほんごはむずかしい(です)けれど、おもしろいです。
Romaji: Nihongo wa muzukashii (desu) keredo, omoshiroi desu.
English: Japanese is difficult, but it is interesting.

or

日本語は難しいです。けれど、おもしろいです。
Hiragana: にほんごはむずかしいです。けれど、おもしろいです。
Romaji: Nihongo wa muzukashii desu. Keredo, omoshiroi desu.
English: Japanese is difficult, but it is interesting.

Thank you for visiting my blog! I hope I was able to help. Feel free to try writing sentences using this grammar in the comments below!

I created this website to support my students and others learning Japanese. If you find my work helpful, please consider supporting it with a

Donation

.

You can use my blog for your own study, but please do not use it to create content based on my examples. こちらで紹介している例文やコンテンツ内容は勉強の目的での使用を認めますが、ブログなどのコンテンツを真似して作成することは堅く禁止いたします。
初級 (beginner)
Kanakoをフォローする

コメント

タイトルとURLをコピーしました