ところが (tokoro ga)
ところが — “however / but then”
Pattern
-
〜た。ところが、〜た。Sentence. ところが + unexpected result (past)
Meaning and connection
The first sentence tells what the speaker expected or did. The second shows the result, which was different. 安いと思った。ところが、とても高かった. The second sentence usually ends in the past tense.
Restrictions
The second sentence must describe a fact that happened, not the speaker's wish, request, or command. It also usually shows surprise. A sentence that only adds a contrast on the same level is better with しかし or でも.
Difference from しかし
しかし is a general contrast and can be used for any pair of ideas. ところが emphasizes that the outcome was unexpected for the speaker, and it is used for events in the past.
Examples
-
安（やす）いと思（おも）った。ところが、とても高（たか）かった。
Yasui to omotta. Tokoro ga, totemo takakatta.
I thought it was cheap. However, it was very expensive.
-
傘（かさ）を持（も）って出（で）た。ところが、一滴（いってき）も降（ふ）らなかった。
Kasa o motte deta. Tokoro ga, itteki mo furanakatta.
I went out with an umbrella. However, not a single drop fell.
-
簡単（かんたん）に勝（か）てると思（おも）っていた。ところが、相手（あいて）は強（つよ）かった。
Kantan ni kateru to omotte ita. Tokoro ga, aite wa tsuyokatta.
I thought I could win easily. But it turned out the opponent was strong.
Common mistakes
- Do not use it for a result that was expected. It must differ from the expectation.
- Do not follow it with a wish, command or request. Describe what actually happened.
More grammar points
- ばよかった ～ばよかった — I should have ～, if only I had ～
- ばかりで ～ばかりで — only ～ (and nothing else, with a negative feeling)
- ばかりでなく ～ばかりでなく — not only ～ but also ～
- だけでなく ～だけでなく — not only ～ but also ～
- だけど だけど — but, however (casual)
- ふりをする ～ふりをする — pretending to ～
- 一方（いっぽう）だ ～一方だ — keeps ～ing in one direction
- 一体（いったい） 一体 — what on earth ～ (emphasizing a question)
- じゃない ～じゃない — isn't it ～! (surprise or confirmation)
- か何（なに）か ～か何か — ～ or something
- 代（か）わりに ～代わりに — instead of ～, in return for ～
- 結局（けっきょく） 結局 — in the end, after all
- きり ～きり — only ～; ever since ～
- っけ ～っけ — was it ～? (recalling)
- ことになっている ～ことになっている — it is the rule or plan that ～
- ことは～が ～ことは～が — it is true that ～, but ～
- くせに ～くせに — even though ～ (with reproach)
- も～ば～も A も ～ば B も ～ — both A and B
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