JLPT N5Everyday

が・けど・けれど・けれどもbut; although; a soft lead-in

All four mean "but", and they close the first half of a sentence. Just as often no "but" is meant: they lead into what you say next, often a question or a request, or let you stop without saying the rest.

but

この部屋へやは狭せまいけど、明あかるいです。

This room is small, but it is bright.

leading in

すみませんが、駅えきはどこですか。

Excuse me, where is the station?

left unsaid

その日ひは別べつの予よ定ていがあるんですが……。

I have other plans that day, I'm afraid…

How to form it

Plain or polite sentence + けど／が

安やすいけど, 行いくけど, 安やすいですが, 行いきますが. A noun or a な-adjective needs だ or です first: 学がく生せいだけど, 静しずかですが. Before けど the first half can stay plain even when the sentence ends politely: 狭せまいけど、明あかるいです.

	How it sounds	Where you'll meet it
けど	Relaxed	Everyday conversation, casual or polite
けれど, けれども	More careful	Polite conversation and writing
が	Polite, or written	In conversation, after です or ます. After a plain form (安やすいが), mostly in writing

But

けど and が belong to the first half, so the pause comes after them. English puts "but" at the start of the second half.

家や賃ちんは安やすいけど、駅えきから遠とおい。

The rent is low, but it is far from the station.

私わたしは犬いぬが好すきだけれど、妹いもうとは猫ねこが好すきです。

I like dogs, but my younger sister likes cats.

駅えきは近ちかいですが、道みちが少すこし分わかりにくいです。

The station is nearby, but the route is a little hard to follow.

Two different が. The first follows です and means "but". The second follows a noun, 道みち, and marks what is hard to follow.

Not said: 今日きょうは日にち曜よう日びけど、仕し事ごとがあります。

(It's Sunday today, but I have work.)

It is 日にち曜よう日びだけど.

Leading into a question or a request

You will hear this constantly. You say sorry, give your name or say what you want, and が or けど hands over to the question. English has no "but" here.

すみませんが、もう一いち度どお願ねがいします。

Sorry, one more time, please.

ちょっと聞ききたいんですけど、このバスは駅えきに行いきますか。

I'd like to ask something. Does this bus go to the station?

もしもし、田た中なかですけど、今いま、大だい丈じょう夫ぶですか。

Hello, it's Tanaka. Is now a good time?

A plain statement can follow too. The first half only sets the scene.

昨日きのう、新あたらしい店みせに行いったんですけど、とてもおいしかったです。

I went to a new restaurant yesterday, and it was really good.

Stopping at けど

People often stop there. Nothing is missing: the rest is left for the other person to work out, which makes a refusal or a request gentler.

A

今こん夜や、食しょく事じに行いきませんか。

Would you like to go out for dinner tonight?

B

明日あしたは朝あさが早はやいんですけど……。

I have an early morning tomorrow, though…

B is saying no without saying it.

すみません、予よ約やくしたいんですが……。

Excuse me, I'd like to make a reservation…

At a counter or on the phone. You stop, and the staff take it from there.

Close neighbours

でもN5

Starts a new sentence. けど and が stay inside one.

家や賃ちんは安やすいよ。でも、駅えきから遠とおいよ。

The rent is low. But it is far from the station.

しかしN5

Also starts a new sentence. It is "however", for writing and speeches.

家や賃ちんは安やすいです。しかし、駅えきから遠とおいです。

The rent is low. However, it is far from the station.

のにN4

"Even though", with surprise or a complaint. けど only sets the two facts side by side.

薬くすりを飲のんだのに、まだ頭あたまが痛いたい。

Even though I took medicine, my head still hurts.

んですがN4

んです explains your situation, and が or けど opens the request.

頭あたまが痛いたいんですが、薬くすりはありますか。

I have a headache. Do you have any medicine?

すみませんが・悪わるいけど・恐おそれ入いりますがN3

With friends and family, すみませんが becomes 悪わるいけど.

悪わるいけど、少すこし待まってくれない？

Sorry, but could you wait a bit?

Check yourself

1Which one fits?

今日きょうは休やすみ（　　）、会かい社しゃに行いきます。

Choose an answer to see why.

2A colleague asks you to dinner tonight, and you answer like this. What have you told them?

今日きょうはちょっと用よう事じがあるんですけど……。

Choose an answer to see why.

3You are chatting with a friend. Which sounds natural?

Choose an answer to see why.

More detail

At the start of a sentence: だけど, ですが, だが

In conversation だけど and けど also open a new sentence, like でも. In polite speech it is ですが or ですけど. In plain-style writing it is だが.

行いきたい。だけど、お金かねがない。

I want to go. But I have no money.

天てん気き予よ報ほうは晴はれだった。だが、午ご後ごから雨あめになった。

The forecast was for a sunny day. But in the afternoon it turned to rain.

More sentences

昨日きのうは寒さむかったけど、今日きょうは暖あたたかいです。

It was cold yesterday, but it is warm today.

このかばんは軽かるいけど、あまり丈じょう夫ぶではありません。

This bag is light, but it is not very durable.

姉あねは海うみが好すきだけれど、私わたしは山やまが好すきです。

My older sister likes the sea, but I like the mountains.

この仕し事ごとは大たい変へんだけれども、やりがいがあります。

This job is demanding, but it is rewarding.

もう九く時じですが、店みせはまだ開あいています。

It is already nine, but the store is still open.

手て伝つだいたいのですが、今日きょうは時じ間かんがありません。

I would like to help, but I do not have time today.

Compared with similar forms

Ways to say "but""Whereas" and "on the other hand"