けれど

• Reading: けれど
• Romaji: keredo
• Pronunciation: /ke.ɾe.do/

Meaning

But; although; however. A conjunction used to connect contrasting clauses.

A conjunction with several variant forms: けれども (most polite), けれど (standard), けど (most casual). All express contrast or concession between two clauses. けれども is used in formal writing and speech, while けど dominates casual conversation. They can also soften a statement when placed at the end of a sentence without a following clause.

Examples

1. 日本語は難しいけれど、とても楽しいです。 Japanese is difficult, but it's a lot of fun.
2. 行きたかったけれども、時間がなかった。 I wanted to go, but I didn't have the time.
3. 高いけれど、品質はとてもいいです。 It's expensive, but the quality is really good.

Usage Guide

Context: conversation, writing, contrasting ideas

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Evolved from classical Japanese けれども, which combines the particle けり (retrospective) with ども (concessive). Over time it shortened to けれど and the casual けど.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal