Welcome back, language enthusiasts! You’re powering through Day 45 of our 100-day JLPT N5 challenge, and that’s a huge milestone – you’re nearly halfway to unlocking basic Japanese fluency.
Today, we’re exploring essential conjunctions for contrast: が (ga), けど (kedo), and けれども (keredomo), all meaning “but” or “however.”
Let’s jump in!
Main Lesson: Breaking Down Step by Step
Grammar Rules
が (ga), けど (kedo), and けれども (keredomo) are ways to show contrast, like English “but” or “however.”
Structure:
Attach these to the end of the first clause before introducing the contrast.
Example:
にほんご が すき です が、むずかしい です。
(Nihongo ga suki desu ga, muzukashii desu.)
– I like Japanese, but it’s difficult.
Politeness and Usage:
が is formal and polite, often used in writing or speeches. It’s neutral and elegant – great for N5 tests or professional chats. Use after polite forms like desu/masu.
けど is casual, everyday speech for friends or informal settings. It can trail off (e.g., “I want to go, but…”).
けれども is very polite and formal, similar to が but longer, common in writing or with superiors. (Note: There’s also けれど, a slightly less formal version of けれども for polite conversations – we’ll touch on it in examples.)
Vocabulary Lists
Verbs (masu form for politeness):
| Japanese (ひらがな) | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| かえります | kaerimasu | return (home) |
| はたらきます | hatarakimasu | work |
| ふります | furimasu | (rain) falls |
| うたいます | utaimasu | sing |
| かきます | kakimasu | draw |
| およぎます | oyogimasu | swim |
Adjectives:
| Japanese (ひらがな) | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| ねむい | nemui | sleepy |
| じょうず | jouzu | good at/skillful |
| たのしい | tanoshii | fun |
| あつい | atsui | hot |
Nouns:
| Japanese (ひらがな) | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| じかん | jikan | time |
| おんがく | ongaku | music |
| うみ | umi | sea |
| いえ | ie | house |
Examples
うみ に いきたい です が、じかんが ありません。
(Umi ni ikitai desu ga, jikan ga arimasen.)
– I like music, but I don’t have time.
うみに およぎに いきます けど、あつい です。
(Umi ni oyogi ni ikimasu kedo, atsui desu.)
– I go swimming at the sea, but it’s hot.
うたいたい です けれども、じょうず じゃありません。
(Utaitai desu keredomo, jouzu ja arimasen.)
– I want to sing, but I’m not good at it.
いえに かえります が、あめ が ふっています。
(Ie ni kaerimasu ga, ame ga futteimasu.)
– I return home, but it’s raining.
おんがくを ききます が、ねむい です。
(Ongaku o kikimasu ga, nemui desu.)
– I listen to music, but I’m sleepy.
はたらく けれども、つまらない です。 (Hataraku keredomo, tsumaranai desu.)
– I work, but it’s not fun.
えを かく けど、じょうず じゃありません。
(E o kaku kedo, jouzu ja arimasen.)
– I draw a picture, but I’m not good at it.
Conclusion: Wrapping Up and Looking Ahead
Fantastic effort on Day 45! You’ve grasped が, けど, and けれども – key for contrasting ideas in Japanese, turning basic talk into nuanced chats.
Keep consistent – small daily wins lead to N5 success. Enjoying this JLPT N5 prep? Subscribe for updates or share with fellow learners.
