Structure
Verb + が
[い]Adjective + が
[な]Adjective + だ + が
Noun + だ + が
Details
Part of Speech
Particle
Word Type
Conjunctive Particle
Register
Standard
品詞
助詞
単語の種類
接続助詞
使用域
一般
About が
As a particle, が has several different uses in Japanese. However, each of these different uses share a common theme. That theme expresses 'highlighting (A) as important, (B)'. In this use, が comes across as 'but', or 'however' in English.
This nuance of が is used directly after any form of verb or い-Adjective, but requires one of the conjugations of だ or です before it when used with a noun or な-Adjective.
From these examples, we can see that が is simply highlighting that 'while (A) is important, there is extra information'. が with the meaning of 'but' is considered to be very formal, this is due to it sounding quite direct in asserting that there is extra information.
Caution
Sometimes a statement will end with が. In these cases it just means that more information exists, but it is obvious, so it does not need to be said.
-
まあ、綺麗ですが。Well, it is pretty, but… (I still don't like it)
Synonyms
Examples
難しいですが、頑張ります。
It is difficult, but I will do my best.
In an AがB sentence, unlike many other grammar points, the politeness in the A and B clauses (parts of the sentence) should match. So '難しいが, 頑張る' and '難しいですが, 頑張ります' are both correct. However '難しいが、頑張ります' would be considered unnatural.
寒いですが、外へ行きます。
It's cold, but I will go outside.
ロイさんの携帯は古いですが、速いです。
Roy's cellphone is old, but it is fast.
すみませんが、この漢字の意味は何ですか。
I'm sorry, but what is the meaning of this kanji?
綺麗ですが、危ないです。
It is beautiful but dangerous.
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Different nuances of each "but" in Japanese
Japanese Tactics
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みんなの日本語 I
Page 56 [CH 8]
みんなの日本語 II
Page 126 [CH 45]
[DBJG] A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar
Page 120
Tae Kim's Japanese Grammar Guide
Page 110
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が – Grammar Discussion
Most Recent Replies (7 in total)
nekoyama
There’s nothing in 面白い that makes it polite, so if you want to be polite you have to add です or rephrase in some other way that allows a politeness marker.
If anything, in general, the です at the end is more important than the one in the middle. Like the example note says, with が, politeness should match, like in 大変ですが面白いです. But with many other conjunctions, only the final politeness marker is required for a polite sentence. For example, 大変だけど面白いです is fine, although using です in both parts is also OK.
Warden
That makes a lot of sense, thank you for clarifying!
Durdool
Hi all,
I have a similar question. In the suggestions on the first sentence, we read:
In an AがB sentence, unlike many other grammar points, the politeness in the A and B clauses (parts of the sentence) should match. So ‘難しいが, 頑張る’ and ‘難しいですが, 頑張ります’ are both correct. However ‘難しいが、頑張ります’ would be considered unnatural.
A few examples later, we are given this phrase:
日本語は面白いが、難しいです。
Given what indicated in the suggestion, should not this phrase be either 日本語は面白いが、難しい or 日本語は面白いですが、難しいです?
Thank you!
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