For autodidact students of Japanese, the English conjunction "but" has three main Japanese equivalents operating at different formality levels: でも (demo, casual), けど / けれど (kedo / keredo, casual-neutral), and しかし (shikashi, formal/written). A fourth, が (ga, but/however), attaches directly to the preceding clause and is extremely common in both speech and writing. Choosing the right "but" is one of the clearest markers of Japanese register command.
でも tends to open a new sentence — it cannot connect two clauses in one sentence. けど / けれど connects within or between sentences and is the most versatile. しかし opens formal sentences. が attaches to the end of the first clause. Each has its place and none is interchangeable with the others in all contexts.
FAQ: How do you say "but" in Japanese? Casually, between sentences: でも (demo). Within a sentence connecting two clauses: けど (kedo) or が (ga). Formally / in writing: しかし (shikashi) or ところが (tokoro ga, "however — contrary to expectation"). After the first clause: Clause A + が/けど + Clause B.
Key Takeaways: - でも (demo): but — opens a sentence; cannot join clauses mid-sentence - けど / けれど (kedo / keredo): but / though — connects clauses; casual-neutral - しかし (shikashi): however / but — formal, written - が (ga as conjunction): but — attaches to end of first clause - ところが (tokoro ga): however — adversative, contrary-to-expectation
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でも: で (the conjunctive particle) + も (even/also) = "even with that / even so." でも literally means "even so" — which is exactly how "but" functions: accepting the previous point and adding a counterpoint.
けど is colloquial; its fuller forms are けれど and けれども (keredo, keredomo) — increasingly formal. しかし (然し or 然し) in kanji; usually written in hiragana in modern Japanese.
が as conjunction: distinct from が as subject marker — same character, different grammatical role. Context (position after a clause rather than before a noun) distinguishes them.
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23.1 疲れて (tsukarete) tired いる (iru) am けど (kedo) but 頑張ります (ganbarimasu) will-do-my-best
23.2 値段 (nedan) price は (wa) TOPIC 高い (takai) expensive。でも (demo) but おいしい (oishii) delicious です (desu) is
23.3 行きたい (ikitai) want-to-go が (ga) BUT 時間 (jikan) time が (ga) SUBJ ない (nai) not
23.4 しかし (shikashi) however、結果 (kekka) result は (wa) TOPIC 予想 (yosō) expectation と (to) from 違いました (chigaimashita) was-different
23.5 日本語 (nihongo) Japanese は (wa) TOPIC 難しい (muzukashii) difficult けれど (keredo) but 面白い (omoshiroi) interesting です (desu) is
23.6 彼 (kare) he は (wa) TOPIC 若い (wakai) young。でも (demo) but とても (totemo) very 賢い (kashikoi) wise です (desu) is
23.7 雨 (ame) rain が (ga) SUBJ 降って (futte) falling いる (iru) ing が (ga) BUT 出かけます (dekakemasu) will-go-out
23.8 ところが (tokoro ga) however、彼女 (kanojo) she は (wa) TOPIC 現れません (awaremasen) did-not-appear でした (deshita) PAST
23.9 勉強 (benkyō) study した (shita) did けど (kedo) but 試験 (shiken) exam に (ni) LOC 落ちた (ochita) failed
23.10 小さい (chiisai) small けれど (keredo) but 夢 (yume) dream は (wa) TOPIC 大きい (ōkii) big です (desu) is
23.11 すみません (sumimasen) excuse-me が (ga) BUT、道 (michi) road を (wo) OBJ 教えて (oshiete) tell もらえます (moraemasu) can-I-have か (ka) Q
23.12 しかし (shikashi) however 彼 (kare) he は (wa) TOPIC 諦め (akirame) give-up ませんでした (masendeshita) did-not
23.13 好き (suki) like だ (da) COP けど (kedo) but 伝えられ (tsutaerarare) convey ない (nai) not
23.14 お腹 (onaka) stomach が (ga) SUBJ 空いた (suita) hungry。でも (demo) but お金 (okane) money が (ga) SUBJ ない (nai) not
23.15 人生 (jinsei) life は (wa) TOPIC 短い (mijikai) short。しかし (shikashi) however だから (dakara) therefore こそ (koso) precisely 美しい (utsukushii) beautiful
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23.1 疲れているけど頑張ります。"I am tired but I will do my best."
23.2 値段は高い。でもおいしいです。"The price is high. But it is delicious."
23.3 行きたいが時間がない。"I want to go but I have no time."
23.4 しかし、結果は予想と違いました。"However, the result was different from expectation."
23.5 日本語は難しいけれど面白いです。"Japanese is difficult but interesting."
23.6 彼は若い。でもとても賢いです。"He is young. But he is very wise."
23.7 雨が降っているが出かけます。"It is raining but I will go out."
23.8 ところが、彼女は現れませんでした。"However, she did not appear."
23.9 勉強したけど試験に落ちた。"I studied but failed the exam."
23.10 小さいけれど夢は大きいです。"Small, but the dream is big."
23.11 すみませんが、道を教えてもらえますか。"Excuse me, but could you tell me the way?"
23.12 しかし彼は諦めませんでした。"However, he did not give up."
23.13 好きだけど伝えられない。"I like [him/her] but cannot convey it."
23.14 お腹が空いた。でもお金がない。"I'm hungry. But I have no money."
23.15 人生は短い。しかしだからこそ美しい。"Life is short. However, it is precisely because of that that it is beautiful."
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23.1 疲れているけど頑張ります。 23.2 値段は高い。でもおいしいです。 23.3 行きたいが時間がない。 23.4 しかし、結果は予想と違いました。 23.5 日本語は難しいけれど面白いです。 23.6 彼は若い。でもとても賢いです。 23.7 雨が降っているが出かけます。 23.8 ところが、彼女は現れませんでした。 23.9 勉強したけど試験に落ちた。 23.10 小さいけれど夢は大きいです。 23.11 すみませんが、道を教えてもらえますか。 23.12 しかし彼は諦めませんでした。 23.13 好きだけど伝えられない。 23.14 お腹が空いた。でもお金がない。 23.15 人生は短い。しかしだからこそ美しい。
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でも (demo) — sentence-initial "but":
でも opens a new sentence and introduces a contrasting point. It cannot join two clauses in a single sentence: *値段は高いでもおいしい — ungrammatical. Correct: 値段は高い。でもおいしい。でも is highly conversational and warm.
けど / けれど / けれども — clause-connecting "but":
Attaches directly to the end of the first clause: 疲れているけど頑張る (tired but will try). Formality: けど (casual) < けれど (neutral) < けれども (formal). All are natural in speech. けど can also end a sentence, trailing off: 行きたいんですけど… (I want to go, but...) — implying an unstated problem.
が (ga as conjunction) — neutral "but/and":
Clause A + が, Clause B. Softer than しかし; more neutral than でも. Often used for polite softening: すみませんが (excuse me, but...). 行きたいが時間がない — more clipped and literary than 行きたいけど.
しかし (shikashi) — formal "however":
Opens formal sentences, paragraphs, and essays. Never used in casual conversation. 人生は短い。しかしだからこそ美しい — the しかし marks a formal reversal. In essays and news writing, しかし appears frequently.
ところが (tokoro ga) — "however; contrary to expectation":
Stronger adversative than しかし — specifically for outcomes that contradict expectation. 彼女は現れないと思った。ところが、彼女は現れた (I thought she wouldn't appear. However, she appeared). The surprise or reversal is built into ところが.
Common Mistakes: - Using でも mid-sentence to join clauses: *値段は高いでもおいしい — wrong - Using しかし in casual conversation — sounds stiff and formal - Confusing が (subject marker) with が (conjunction) — position in sentence distinguishes them
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すみませんが (excuse me, but...) is one of the most essential phrases in daily Japanese interaction. The が here softens the request — literally "there is an excuse me, but [may I ask you something?]." The conjunction が performs a social function: it acknowledges that you are about to impose and cushions the imposition before it arrives. Japanese politeness is built into its grammar in exactly this way.
けど trailing off — 行きたいんですけど… — is a crucial politeness device. By leaving the sentence unfinished after けど, the speaker implies a problem without stating it directly, allowing the listener to respond without the speaker having to commit to a direct refusal or complaint. This trailing けど is ubiquitous in Japanese social interaction and represents one of the language's most elegant tools for indirect communication.
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芥川龍之介 (Akutagawa Ryūnosuke), 《羅生門》— Rashōmon, 1915
The gate of Rashōmon stands between life and death, between right and wrong. The story turns on "but" — the servant cannot survive honestly; but can he survive dishonestly?
下人は、雨が上がるのを待っていた。
F-A: Interlinear
下人 (genin) servant は (wa) TOPIC 雨 (ame) rain が (ga) SUBJ 上がる (agaru) stop の (no) NMLZ を (wo) OBJ 待って (matte) waiting いた (ita) was
F-B: Translation
"The servant was waiting for the rain to stop."
F-C: Original
下人は、雨が上がるのを待っていた。
F-D: Notes
The story is structured around でも and しかし — moral but, practical but, survival but. The servant knows stealing is wrong. でも — he will starve. しかし — there must be another way. Akutagawa's prose circles the conjunction: the old woman under the gate is wrong to make wigs from the dead. でも — she needs to eat. The story never resolves the "but" — it ends on the darkness below the gate.
F-E: Commentary
Rashōmon is a story about the impossible "but." 生きたい (want to live) が 盗みたくない (don't want to steal). Japanese conjunctions in literature carry moral weight — でも is the word of human weakness acknowledging itself; しかし is the word of reasoning trying to justify; けど is the word of ordinary life carrying on despite everything. This lesson word, "but," is the grammar of the human condition.
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Two friends discuss a difficult choice. でも, けど, しかし, and が appear throughout — each one doing different work.
23.16 麻衣 (Mai) Mai：就職 (shūshoku) employment が (ga) SUBJ 決まった (kimatta) decided。でも (demo) but 嬉しく (ureshiku) happy ない (nai) not
23.17 聡 (Satoshi) Satoshi：え (e) what？いい (ii) good 会社 (kaisha) company じゃ (ja) COPNEG ない (nai) not の (no) NMLZ か (ka) Q
23.18 麻衣：会社 (kaisha) company は (wa) TOPIC いい (ii) good けど (kedo) but、本当 (hontō) truly に (ni) ADVL やりたい (yaritai) want-to-do こと (koto) thing と (to) from は (wa) TOPIC 違う (chigau) different
23.19 聡：本当 (hontō) truly に (ni) ADVL やりたい (yaritai) want-to-do こと (koto) thing って (tte) called 何 (nani) what？
23.20 麻衣：音楽 (ongaku) music。でも (demo) but それで (sore de) by-that 食べて (tabete) eat いける (ikeru) can-go か (ka) Q わから (wkara) know ない (nai) not
23.21 聡：難しい (muzukashii) difficult ね (ne)。しかし (shikashi) however 一度 (ichido) once しか (shika) only ない (nai) not 人生 (jinsei) life だ (da) COP けど (kedo) but
23.22 麻衣：それ (sore) that は (wa) TOPIC わかって (wakatte) knowing いる (iru) am。でも (demo) but 現実 (genjitsu) reality は (wa) TOPIC 厳しい (kibishii) harsh から (kara) because
23.23 聡：両方 (ryōhō) both できない (dekinai) cannot の (no) NMLZ か (ka) Q。会社 (kaisha) company で (de) at 働き (hataraki) work ながら (nagara) while 音楽 (ongaku) music を (wo) OBJ 続ける (tsuzukeru) continue とか (to ka) or-something
23.24 麻衣：それも (sore mo) that-too 考えた (kangaeta) thought けど (kedo) but、中途半端 (chūtohanpa) half-hearted に (ni) ADVL なりそう (narisō) likely-to-become で (de) and
23.25 聡：ところが (tokoro ga) however、両方 (ryōhō) both うまく (umaku) well やっている (yatte iru) doing 人 (hito) person も (mo) also いる (iru) exists よ (yo) EMPH
23.26 麻衣：そう (sō) right か (ka) Q な (na) ISN'T-IT…でも (demo) but 自分 (jibun) myself に (ni) DAT できる (dekiru) can か (ka) Q どうか (dō ka) whether わから (wakara) know ない (nai) not
23.27 聡：やって (yatte) try みない (minai) not-try と (to) unless わから (wakara) know ない (nai) not けど (kedo) but、やらない (yaranai) not-try と (to) COND 絶対 (zettai) definitely わから (wakara) know ない (nai) not
23.28 麻衣：それ (sore) that は (wa) TOPIC そう (sō) right だ (da) COP ね (ne)
23.29 聡：後悔 (kōkai) regret しない (shinai) not-do ほう (hō) way を (wo) OBJ 選んで (erande) choose ね (ne)
23.30 麻衣：うん (un) yes…でも (demo) but もう少し (mō sukoshi) a-little-more 考える (kangaeru) think
23.16 麻衣：「就職が決まった。でも嬉しくない。」"Mai: 'I got a job. But I'm not happy.'"
23.17 聡：「え？いい会社じゃないの？」"Satoshi: 'What? Isn't it a good company?'"
23.18 麻衣：「会社はいいけど、本当にやりたいこととは違う。」"Mai: 'The company is good, but it's different from what I truly want to do.'"
23.19 聡：「本当にやりたいことって何？」"Satoshi: 'What is the thing you truly want to do?'"
23.20 麻衣：「音楽。でもそれで食べていけるかわからない。」"Mai: 'Music. But I don't know if I can live off it.'"
23.21 聡：「難しいね。しかし一度しかない人生だけど。」"Satoshi: 'That's hard. However, there is only one life.'"
23.22 麻衣：「それはわかっている。でも現実は厳しいから。」"Mai: 'I know that. But reality is harsh.'"
23.23 聡：「両方できないの？会社で働きながら音楽を続けるとか。」"Satoshi: 'Can't you do both? Like working at the company while continuing music?'"
23.24 麻衣：「それも考えたけど、中途半端になりそうで。」"Mai: 'I thought about that too, but it seems like it would end up half-hearted.'"
23.25 聡：「ところが、両方うまくやっている人もいるよ。」"Satoshi: 'However, there are people who do both well.'"
23.26 麻衣：「そうかな…でも自分にできるかどうかわからない。」"Mai: 'I wonder... But I don't know if I can do it.'"
23.27 聡：「やってみないとわからないけど、やらないと絶対わからない。」"Satoshi: 'You won't know unless you try, but if you don't try, you definitely won't know.'"
23.28 麻衣：「それはそうだね。」"Mai: 'That's true.'"
23.29 聡：「後悔しないほうを選んでね。」"Satoshi: 'Choose the path you won't regret.'"
23.30 麻衣：「うん…でももう少し考える。」"Mai: 'Yeah... But I'll think a little more.'"
23.16 麻衣：「就職が決まった。でも嬉しくない。」 23.17 聡：「え？いい会社じゃないの？」 23.18 麻衣：「会社はいいけど、本当にやりたいこととは違う。」 23.19 聡：「本当にやりたいことって何？」 23.20 麻衣：「音楽。でもそれで食べていけるかわからない。」 23.21 聡：「難しいね。しかし一度しかない人生だけど。」 23.22 麻衣：「それはわかっている。でも現実は厳しいから。」 23.23 聡：「両方できないの？会社で働きながら音楽を続けるとか。」 23.24 麻衣：「それも考えたけど、中途半端になりそうで。」 23.25 聡：「ところが、両方うまくやっている人もいるよ。」 23.26 麻衣：「そうかな…でも自分にできるかどうかわからない。」 23.27 聡：「やってみないとわからないけど、やらないと絶対わからない。」 23.28 麻衣：「それはそうだね。」 23.29 聡：「後悔しないほうを選んでね。」 23.30 麻衣：「うん…でももう少し考える。」
〜ながら (nagara) — "while doing ~": 働きながら音楽を続ける (continue music while working). て form expresses sequence; ながら expresses simultaneity — two actions happening at the same time, with the main action in the second clause.
〜そう (sō) — "looks like / seems like": 中途半端になりそう (looks like it will become half-hearted). Vます-stem + そう = "looks like it will happen." Distinct from 〜そうだ (I heard that / apparently) — the former is visual/inferential, the latter is hearsay.
〜しか〜ない — "nothing but / only": 一度しかない人生 (life which exists only once). しか always takes a negative predicate: しかない (only exists), しかわからない (can only understand). The meaning is "nothing except [X]" — exclusive only.
やってみないとわからない — "you won't know unless you try": みない (potential negative of みる after て form of やる) + と (if/when) + わからない (won't know). The conditional と here: "if you don't try, [you won't know]." A compact and natural expression of the relationship between action and knowledge.
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でも (demo) — IPA: /de.mo/ — Two morae. /de/ + /mo/. Clean and light — one of the most frequent words in spoken Japanese; never stressed or lengthened.
けど (kedo) — IPA: /ke.do/ — Two morae. /ke/ + /do/. The /d/ is always voiced in Japanese.
しかし (shikashi) — IPA: /ɕi.ka.ɕi/ — Three morae. The two /ɕi/ syllables (し) are palatal fricatives — the sound in English "she." し-か-し: palatal, velar, palatal.
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