～けれども (but/although)

• Reading: けれども
• Romaji: keredomo
• Formation: Sentence 1 (plain/polite) + けれども / けれど / けど + Sentence 2

Meaning

A conjunction meaning 'but' or 'although' that connects two clauses where the second provides contrasting or unexpected information. It has several shortened forms used at different levels of formality.

けれども is a versatile conjunction that introduces contrast or concession between two clauses. It has several shortened forms: けれども (formal), けれど (semi-formal), けど (casual), and けども (casual). Unlike が, which is slightly more formal and literary, けれども and especially けど are the most natural choices in everyday conversation. It can follow both plain and polite verb forms. Like が, it is also used to introduce topics softly or make polite requests rather than always expressing strong contrast.

Examples

1. 頑張ったけれども、試験に落ちてしまった。 I tried my best, but I failed the exam.
2. 疲れているけど、もう少し仕事を続ける。 I'm tired, but I'll keep working a little longer.
3. 安いけれど、品質は悪くないです。 It's cheap, but the quality isn't bad.

Usage Guide

Context: spoken, written, everyday

Tone: contrastive

Do Say

• 走ったけど、電車に間に合わなかった。
• まだ初心者ですけれども、毎日練習しています。
• 値段は安いけれど、味はいいですよ。

Don't Say

• 静かだけれども、でも落ち着かない。(けれども and でも are both contrastive — choose one: 静かだけれども、落ち着かない) → 静かだけれども、落ち着かない。
• 行きますけどが、遅れるかもしれません。(けど and が cannot be combined — use one: 行きますけど、遅れるかもしれません) → 行きますけど、遅れるかもしれません。

Origin & History

Evolved from classical Japanese けれども, combining the recollective auxiliary けり with the concessive ども. Shortened forms けど and けれど emerged through colloquial speech over centuries.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal