JLPT N5 · Sentence patterns
けれども (keredo mo)
～けれども — a polite “but / although”
In short · A conjunction that follows with something contrasting. It is a little more formal than けど and attaches to both plain and polite forms.
Pattern
-
普通形・ですます形＋けれどもplain or polite form + けれども
How to use it
It joins contrasting clauses: 高いけれども、おいしいです.
Related forms
けれど and けど mean the same. The shorter the form, the more casual.
When to use it
It suits polite speech such as interviews or letters. が can also be used with nearly the same meaning.
Examples
-
高（たか）いけれども、おいしいです。
Takai keredomo, oishii desu.
It's expensive, but it's delicious.
-
この本（ほん）は難（むずか）しいけれども、面白（おもしろ）いです。
Kono hon wa muzukashii keredomo, omoshiroi desu.
This book is difficult, but interesting.
-
雨（あめ）が降（ふ）っているけれども、出（で）かけます。
Ame ga futte iru keredomo, dekakemasu.
It's raining, but I'll go out.
Common mistakes
- The two parts must contrast. It cannot be used for a plain consequence.
- In casual speech, けど is often more natural.
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”
- けど ～けど — casual “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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