But / However でも・だけど・けど
Textbook Japanese and natural spoken Japanese are not always the same.
In natural Japanese conversation, we often use: でも・だけど・けど
Table of contents
1. でも(demo)
昨日(きのう)、雨(あめ)降(ふ)ってた。でも、出(で)かけたよ。- Casual
It was raining yesterday. But I went out.
でも is very common in conversation.
It often comes at the beginning of a new sentence.
でも = but
2. だけど(dakedo)
昨日、雨降ってた。だけど、出かけたよ。- Casual
It was raining yesterday. But I went out.
だけど is also very common in casual conversation.
でも and だけど both mean “but.”
でも sounds a little softer and is very common when adding a different idea.
だけど can sound a little stronger or more direct, especially when you want to emphasize the contrast.
3. けど(kedo)
You can also connect the two ideas in one sentence.
昨日、雨降ってたけど、出かけたよ。- Casual
It was raining yesterday, but I went out.
This is a very natural way to speak Japanese.
Casual
昨日、雨降ってたけど、出かけたよ。
It was raining yesterday, but I went out.
Polite
昨日、雨降ってましたけど、出かけましたよ。
It was raining yesterday, but I went out.
けど is very common in everyday Japanese.
For normal conversation, this is often the most natural choice.
4. What about しかし?
You may learn:
however = しかし
For example:
昨日は雨が降っていました。しかし、出かけました。
It was raining yesterday. However, I went out.
This sentence is correct.
But しかし sounds more formal.
You are more likely to see or hear it in:
news
essays
presentations
formal writing
In everyday conversation, Japanese people usually use でも・だけど・けど more often.
Textbook Japanese vs Natural Japanese
Not common in conversation
昨日は雨が降っていました。しかし、出かけました。
Natural polite conversation
昨日、雨降ってましたけど、出かけましたよ。
Natural casual conversation
昨日、雨降ってたけど、出かけたよ。
Tip for natural conversation
In textbooks, you may learn:
降っていました
But in everyday conversation, Japanese people often shorten it to:
降ってました
We drop the い, so it sounds shorter and more natural.
You can also add よ at the end:
出かけましたよ。出かけたよ。
This makes the sentence sound more conversational and friendly.
Vocabulary
Casual | Polite | English |
昨日（きのう） | 昨日（きのう） | yesterday |
雨（あめ） | 雨（あめ） | rain |
降（ふ）ってた | 降（ふ）ってました | was raining |
出（で）かけた | 出（で）かけました | went out |
でも・だけど・けど | したけど / したが | but / however |
しかし | しかし | however (mostly used in writing) |
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