Grammar › Connectors › けど・けれども
けど & けれども
The "but" that lives inside a sentence, joining two clauses. Same word at four levels of politeness — けど ‹ けれど ‹ けれども.
The short version
Unlike でも/しかし (which start a new sentence), けど and けれども attach to the end of the first clause and glue it to the second: "A けど B" = "A, but B". They're the same word getting more formal: けど (casual) → けれど → けれども (most formal). All follow plain or polite forms alike.
[clause A]けど、[clause B] — A, but B · casual
[clause A]けれども、[clause B] — formal
けれど(も) — joining a contrast
The core job: "this is true, but so is that." Here けれど links the two halves of one thought.
夏休みは楽しいけれど宿題もたくさんある休みです。
Summer break is fun, but it's also a break with lots of homework. (A けれど B)
暑すぎるし、人も多すぎるけれど、やっぱり楽しい。
It's too hot and too crowded, but it's still fun. (A けれど B)
The hanging けど — a softener
Left dangling at the very end, けど/けれど doesn't finish the thought — it softens it, hinting "…but, well" and inviting the listener to fill in the rest.
多分だけど。
…Probably, though. (trailing けど softens)
…と感じてしまうこともあるんですけれど。
…there are times I feel that way, though. (polite んですけれど softener)
Watch out
けど vs でも. けど glues two clauses within one sentence; でも/しかし start a fresh sentence. "A けど B" and "A. でも B." land the same contrast — just don't put けど at the start of a sentence.
🗣 けど is the casual default; add んだ to soften. Everyday speech leans on けど (and blunt けどさ). The opener 「〜んだけど、」 ("so, um…") is a super-common way to gently launch a request or a story.
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