JLPT N5 · Sentence patterns
けど (kedo)
～けど — casual “but / although”
In short · A conjunction that follows a statement with something contrasting. It attaches to plain forms and is common in conversation. For polite situations use が or けれども.
Pattern
-
普通形＋けどplain form + けど -
名詞・な形容詞＋だけどnoun / な-adjective + だけど
How to use it
It joins two clauses and shows contrast: 安いけど、おいしいです.
Ending a sentence with けど
In conversation けど can end a sentence, leaving the rest unsaid, which softens it (すみませんけど…).
Difference from けれども and が
All three show contrast. けど is the most casual, then けれど and けれども, and が is the most formal.
Examples
-
行（い）きたいけど、時間（じかん）がありません。
Ikitai kedo, jikan ga arimasen.
I want to go, but I don't have time.
-
安（やす）いけど、おいしいです。
Yasui kedo, oishii desu.
It's cheap, but it's tasty.
-
暑（あつ）いけど、外（そと）で遊（あそ）びます。
Atsui kedo, soto de asobimasu.
It's hot, but I'll play outside.
Common mistakes
- Japanese uses just one けど. There is no need for a pair like “although... but...”.
- In formal situations avoid けど and use が or けれども.
More grammar points
- だ / です だ / です — “A is B”
- でも でも — “but / however” at the start of a sentence
- どんな どんな～ — “what kind of ～”
- どうやって どうやって～ — asking “how / by what means”
- があります ～があります — “there is ～” (things)
- がほしい ～がほしい — “I want ～”
- がいます ～がいます — “there is ～” (people and animals)
- い-adjectives い-adjectives — adjectives ending in ～い
- 一緒（いっしょ）に 一緒に～ — “together (with)”
- じゃない・ではない ～じゃない / ～ではない — the negative of だ and です
- か～か A か B — “A or B”
- けれども ～けれども — a polite “but / although”
- な-adjectives な-adjectives — take な before a noun
- なる ～になる — “to become ～”
- んです ～んです — explaining the situation
- に行（い）く ～に行く — “go to do ～”
- にする ～にする — deciding on / choosing something
- のです ～のです — the explaining ending (casual: ～んです)
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