#shikashi

So, today I’m going to talk about “but”.“But” is a pretty important word in any language. It can change an agreement into an argument, a rule into a suggestion, and a good day into a bad day. That said, it’s pretty important to learn. 

Once again, there are a few of this word you should know in Japanese. We’ll talk about the three most common buts–でも、しかし、and のに,–as well as the often used for but, “が”.

Let’s go over が first. が is interesting that it can be translated as ‘but’, because it also translates to 'and’. For example:

私はチョコレットが好きですが、ロリポップが好きじゃない。

Unfortunately, in English either 'but’ or 'and’ would still have this sentence make sense:

I like chocolate and I don’t like lollipops.

I like chocolate, but I don’t like lollipops.

Because of this, using が is tricky because some teachers may teach it as but, others as and, and in more meaning specific sentences it may be a problem. I feel the best way to to treat が is like a semicolon. It links two relating sentences together, so you can link as many as you want as long as they relate:

よく海に行くが、林はちょっと。。。

ラーメンが食べたいがうどんもたべたい！

部屋は黒いですが。。。寒いです。

It’s used in sentences in this way, so I can see some of the first Japanese-English translators being unsure if it was 'but’ or 'and’. Rather it’s “;”. I think that’s the best way to see it. 

(If you’re unsure on how to use a ; in the English language, The Oatmeal has a pretty good explanation.が is pretty much that aside from the 'super comma’ meaning.)

Now, moving on!

でも

でも is probably the next common 'but’ learned. It actually has another main usage but that’ll be another time. Anyways, でも is practically used for but the way it’s used in English:

彼は寒そうだでも、私は部屋が暑いだと思います。

He looks cold, but I think the room is hot.

甘いものが食べたいでも、ダイエッをしてみます。。。

I like to eat sweet things, but I’m trying to go on a diet…

「明日、早く起きてください」

「でも、土曜日です！」

“Please wake up early tomorrow.”

“But it’s Saturday!”

And that’s it. Not so complicated, right?

しかし

Unlike でも and が, しかし has no alternative meanings. It strictly means 'but’, so it is unlikely to ever get the meaning of the sentence wrong from that. 

彼が彼女がいた。しかし、他の女性がすきそうだ。。。

He has a girlfriend. However, I heard he likes another woman…

痛いだ、しかしがんばって！

It hurts, but I’ll keep going!

I don’t think I need anymore examples for this. It’s also worth noting that in general しかし can be replaced by でも, but not all でもs are しかしs. (Like all squares are rectangles but not all rectangles are squares)

のに

のに is actually a very specific type of 'but’. It’s used when “A” happens, but then “B” happens unexpectedly. It’s always used when “B” is negative. For example:

二時間待ったのに、彼がきませんでした。

Although I waited two hours, he didn’t come…

勉強するのに、私のせいせきが。。。

My grades aren’t that good although I study.

Like with ので, the 'result’ or how the situation is goes first, and then what happened to make you feel otherwise. If there are any nouns or な adjectives before hand, a な MUST be in between:

プレセントなのに、好きではありません。

Although it was a present, I don’t like it.

女性がきれいなのに、怒りっぽいです。

She’s beautiful, but she has a really short temper.

So that’s all for but! As always feel free to Ask me anything Japanese-related. I’ll be happy to answer!