Connectors in Japanese: Join Ideas With Because, But

Connectors: because, but, although

Reason first, result second: the order never flips the way “I’ll take an umbrella because…” can in English.

Short answer: Japanese connectors come at the end of the first clause: 雨だから, “because it’s raining”, then the result. から and ので both mean “because”; ので sounds softer and more objective. けど and が mean “but”. のに means “even though”, with a note of surprise or regret. To start a new sentence with “so” or “but”, use だから or でも.

Because: から and ので

から after a plain or polite form; ので after a plain form (with な after nouns and な-adjectives). Use ので for excuses and requests: it sounds less pushy.

雨あめamerainだからda karabecause it is行きませんいきませんikimasenwon’t go

Ame da kara, ikimasen.“It’s raining, so I’m not going.”Why: Noun + だから.

頭あたまatamaheadがga(subject)痛いいたいitaihurtsのでnodebecause早くはやくhayakuearly帰りますかえりますkaerimasugo home

Atama ga itai node, hayaku kaerimasu.“I have a headache, so I’ll go home early.”Why: ので for a polite explanation.

どうしてdōshitewhy来なかったこなかったkonakattadidn’t comeのno(question)忙しかったいそがしかったisogashikattawas busyからkarabecause

Dōshite konakatta no? / Isogashikatta kara.“Why didn’t you come? / Because I was busy.”Why: から can end an answer on its own.

But: けど and が

けど is spoken, が more written or formal. Both also soften a statement by trailing off: すみませんが…, “excuse me, but…”.

高いたかいtakaiexpensiveけどkedobut美味しいおいしいoishiitastyですdesu(polite)

Takai kedo, oishii desu.“It’s expensive, but it’s good.”Why: けど in speech.

すみませんsumimasenexcuse meがgabut駅えきekistationはwa(topic)どこですかdoko desu kawhere is?

Sumimasen ga, eki wa doko desu ka.“Excuse me, but where is the station?”Why: が softens the question that follows.

Even though: のに

のに shows that the result is unexpected or disappointing.

And what’s more: し

し lists reasons, implying there are more: “it’s cheap, and it’s close, so…”.

このkonothis店みせmiseshopはwa(topic)安いしやすいしyasui shiis cheap and近いしちかいしchikai shiis close andよくyokuoften来ますきますkimasucome

Kono mise wa yasui shi, chikai shi, yoku kimasu.“This place is cheap and close, so I come here a lot.”Why: Two reasons with し, then the result.

Spoken connectors

Casual connectors heard in conversation.

Cause and result: から, ので, ため

Three ways to say “because”, from casual to formal.

Example	Meaning	Register
ame da kara ikanai	it’s raining, so I won’t go	casual, opinion
ame na node chūshi desu	it’s cancelled due to rain	polite, objective
ame no tame chūshi	cancelled owing to rain	formal, signs

Connecting an argument

A short opinion, joined by connectors.

まずmazufirst電車でんしゃdenshatrainsはwa(topic)速いはやいhayaifast

Mazu, densha wa hayai.“First, trains are fast.”Why: まず opens the argument.

しかもshikamomoreover時間じかんjikantimeにnito正確せいかくseikakuaccurateだdais

Shikamo, jikan ni seikaku da.“Moreover, they run on time.”Why: しかも adds a stronger point.

一方いっぽうippōon the other hand車くるまkurumacarsはwa(topic)便利べんりbenriconvenientだdais

Ippō, kuruma wa benri da.“On the other hand, cars are convenient.”Why: 一方: contrast.

つまりtsumariin short目的もくてきmokutekipurpose次第しだいshidaidepends onだdais

Tsumari, mokuteki shidai da.“In short, it depends on your purpose.”Why: つまり: summing up.

Cheat sheet: connectors by job

Pick by what you want to do.

Connector	Meaning	Job
soshite	and	adding
demo	but	contrast
dakara	so	result
soreni	besides	adding a reason
tatoeba	for example	example
tsumari	in other words	summary

Check yourself

Choose the connector, then open the answer.

Result雨が降った。（　）、試合は中止になった。
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だから / それで.
Adding安い。（　）、美味しい。
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それに / しかも.
Contrast行きたい。（　）、時間がない。
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でも.
Example果物が好きです。（　）、りんごや桃です。
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たとえば.

Connectors that start a sentence

These begin a new sentence and link it to the last one.