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ところが Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Common word JLPT N3 Freq. Frequency Top 10,000 Meanings 1
conjunction
however ; but ; even so
usually written using kana alone
A conjunction used to introduce a fact that is contrary to what one might expect from the preceding context. Often translated as 'however', 'but', or 'even so'. It can also mark an unexpected turn of events.
た
。
He studied very hard. However, he failed the exam.
Similar words しかし しかし is a more general 'but' or 'however' used in both spoken and written Japanese. ところが carries a stronger sense of unexpectedness or a surprising contrast.
でも でも is a casual 'but' used in everyday conversation. ところが is more formal and emphasizes an unexpected outcome.
Etymology Derived from ところ (place, point) + が (subject marker), literally 'the point is...', which developed into a contrastive conjunction.
