[Serie: All About Japanese Particles]
Note: (1) More colloquial forms of keredomo are keredo, kedo, and kedomo. Keredomo in all its forms lends a softer tone, and in its full form (not the alternative forms) tends to be preceded by desu and the -masu verb forms. (2) In each of the usages below, ga (#2, II-1, 2, 4, 5, 6) can replace keredomo and its more informal variations.
1. Used between two clauses to indicate that they are opposed in meaning: “but, although.”
天気予報で今日は雨は降らないと言ったんですけれども、夕方から降ってきましたね。
Tenki-yohō de kyō wa ame wa furanai to itta-n desu keredomo, yūgata kara futte kimashita ne.
They said on the weather report that it wouldn’t rain today, but it began raining in the evening, didn’t it.
竹内さんに電話をかけたけれど留守でした。
Takeuchi-san ni denwa o kaketa keredo rusu deshita.
I called Takeuchi, but she was out.
2. Used at the end of a sentence, implies something that qualifies what is actually stated: “well, yes, but …”
Note: This usage is essentially the same as that in no. 1, above, except that here the second clause isn’t stated outright. (Words in brackets below show only one of various imaginable contexts.)
たまには旅行にも行きたいと思っているんですけど。。。
Tama ni wa ryokō ni mo ikitai to omotte iru-n desu kedo . . .
I’d really like to go on a trip once in a while … [but I don’t have the time].
私はゴルフをしないわけではないんですけど。。。
Watashi wa gorufu o shinai wake de wa nai-n desu kedo …
It’s not that I don’t play golf … [but I really don’t like it that much].
3. Indicates a preliminary remark.
まだ発車まで1時間もありますけど、どうしましょうか。
Mada hassha made ichi-jikan mo arimasu kedo, dō shimashō ka.
There’s still an hour until [the train] departs, [so] what shall we do [in the meanwhile]? •
谷ですけど、知子さんいらっしゃいますか。
Tani desu kedo, Tomoko-san irasshaimasu ka.
This [my name is] is Tani. Is Tomoko there?
4. Used at the end of a sentence, emphasizes the sense that the speaker wants the event to come out as stated: “it would be nice if, I hope.”
早く暖かくなるといいんですけど。。。
Hayaku atatakaku naru to ii-n da kedo …
It would be nice if it got warm soon. / I hope it gets warm soon.
もう少し大きいのが欲しいんだけれど。。。
Mō sukoshi ōkii no ga hoshii-n da keredo …
I’d like to have one that’s a little bigger. / I had hoped for some-thing a little larger.
– Source: All about particles – A handbook of Japanese function words –
