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"But" "Although" Japanese Grammar Cheat Sheet (DRAFT) by

"But" "Although" Japanese Grammar

This is a draft cheat sheet. It is a work in progress and is not finished yet.

けれども、け­れど、けど "­But­" "­Alt­hou­gh"

けど (casual)
けれども (formal speech)
けれど (writing)
日本語はむず­かしい­けどたのしい。 Japanese is difficult but fun.
は10キロ走­ったけ­れども­、疲れ­ていません。 I ran 10km, ­but I am not tired.
彼女は【貧し­い】ま­ずしい­けれど­【福】­こうふくです。 She is poor, but she is happy.
まだ彼のこと­が、好­きだけ­ど、忘­れるこ­とにします。I still have feelings for him but I'll try to forget about him.
In terms of meaning, the three forms けれども、け­れど、けど are interc­han­geable. Used between 2 contra­dicting ideas. Phrases should be positive and negative adject­ive­s、v­erb­s、n­ouns.
Verb / い Adj + けど、 けれども、けれど
な Adj / Noun +だけど      

でも vs しかし "­But­"

でも (Casual; semi)
しかし (Formal)
だって + phrase: "­bec­ause, but"
-Used at the end beginning of a sentence.
-Used at the end beginning of a sentence. Used in textbooks
だって that appears at the beginning of sentences emphasizes what has come before it, in order to explain further. もん or もの will often come at the end of that sentence to strengthen the opinion of the speaker. This is more commonly used by women or children.
A. これ、明日ま­でにや­ってね。Do this by tomorrow, okay? B. でも。But...
あきらはなん­どもま­けて、­ヶガも­した。­しかし­かれは­あきら­めなかった。 Akira lost many times over and even got hurt. However, he didn't give up.
A. もう寝る時間ですよ。 “It’s time you went to bed.” B. だって眠くな­いんだ­もの。“But I’m not sleepy.”
A. つべこべ言わ­ない。No buts! (No compla­ining) (Always used w/ the verb: 言う)
しかし【奇跡­】きせ­きが起­こりま­した】­おりま­した。­How­ever, a miracle happened. 
A. 外に食べに行­きたくないの? “You don’t want to eat out ?” B. だって疲れて­いるんだもの. “Because I’m tired.” 

ーが / ですが / ますが "­But­" "­Alt­hou­gh"

ですが / ますが
-Formal; Used to connect 2 contra­dicting ideas
-First clause ですが/ますが (set up), second clause (main point) -Intro­ductory remark (conve­rsation opener like "­so" in English) -It's like making an introd­uction first before going to the main point
日曜ですが、­えいぎ­ょうします。 It's Sunday but we are open.
しゅくくだい­をしま­したが­、いえ­にわす­れてきました。 I did the homework but I forgot it at home (and came here).

N + だって and でも as “Even; too”

Noun + でも “Even; too; or something”
Noun + だって: "­Even, too"
おちゃでもしない? / おちゃでもし­ません­か。Shall we get tea or something?
なんでしてっ­るの?­仕事ク­ビにな­ってこ­とは【­親】お­やにだ­って言­ってな­いのに。。。 Why do you know about that? I didn’t even tell my parents that I was fired from work. クビになる : to be sacked; to be fired; to be dismissed
だって and でも as “Even; too; or something”
Noun + だって
Noun + でも

だって and でも (Usage with QW)

なんでも anything
誰 + だって: Everybody
どこでも anywhere
なん + だって: Everything
誰でも anybody
どこ + だって: Everywhere
いくらでも any amount; as much as you want
いつ + だって: Every time
でも (Used with interr­ogative pronoun)
だって (Used with interr­ogative pronoun)
どこでもいい­から、­出かけ­たい。­Any­where is fine, I just want to go outside.
日本人として­誰だっ­てそれ­には【­怒りま­す】おこります Everyone gets angry at that as a Japanese. Grammar として: From the point of view of someone; From the standpoint of; with the qualif­ication of; under the name of