う・よう + としたがTried to ~ but ~, Was about to ~ but ~, Was going to ~ but ~

けど、けども、けれども are all acceptable.

Structure

Verb［おう］ + としたが⁽¹⁾ + Result
Verb［おう］ + としたら + Result

⁽¹⁾ けれども、けれど、けども、けれども、けど

Details

About Verb[volitional] + としたが

As mentioned in our ようとする lesson, when combined with the auxiliary verb う (or よう), とする carries the meaning of 'to try to do (A)', or 'to be about to do (A)'. The case marking particle と in this expression highlights a 'result'.

However, the addition of structures like the conjunction particles が, or たら, to the past tense of する will indicate that something interrupted (A), and therefore it was unable to be completed. In these cases, the translation becomes 'to have tried to do (A), but (B)', 'was about to (A), but (B), or 'was on the verge of (A), but (B)'.

う and よう mark volition (the express intent to do something), while とする adds the nuance that the express intent has been decided, and all that remains is to 'do' the action. Due to this, when something interrupts a ようとする verb, it strongly suggests that (B) is/was highly unanticipated.

Examples

--:--

兎(うさぎ)の世話(せわ)をしようとしたが逃(に)げられた。

I was going to take care of the rabbit but it ran away.

彼(かれ)は徹夜(てつや)しようとしたけれど寝(ね)てしまった。

He tried to pull an all-nighter, but fell asleep.

説得(せっとく)しようとしたが、失敗(しっぱい)した。

I tried to persuade him, but I failed.

お弁当(べんとう)を食(た)べようとしたが、箸(はし)が入(はい)っていなかった。

I was about to eat my bento, but there were no chopsticks inside.

私(わたし)は彼女(かのじょ)の手伝(てつだ)いをしようとしたが、断(ことわ)られた。

I tried to offer my help, but was rejected.

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- All uses of volitional form and よう explained
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- Further Example Sentences and Breakdown
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- ようとする vs. てみる
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Verb[volitional] + としたが – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (7 in total)

mrnoone

English translation:
tried to ~ but ~
was about to ~ but ~
was going to ~ but ~

Structure:
Verb[ volitional ] + としたが + Result
Verb[ volitional ] + としたけれど + Result
Verb[ volitional ] + としたら + Result

Explanation:
[An action/attempt that requires effort or targets direct goals ・ suggests failure or lack of knowledge about the result.]

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Anthropos888
I wonder why としたら can be used here since this would be translated as “…if” rather than “…but”
?
mrnoone
Hey
It comes from another meaning of “たら”, - “when/then”.

So literal translation is “I attempted to/tried to/was about to do X when…”
Anthropos888
Is ようとしても another form that means the same thing, as in:
ｍｅｄｉａｐｌａｙｅｒで音楽を聞こうとしてもエラーが出てファイルを再生できません。
“I was just about to listen to music, but an error occured…”

Or is it more like “even if I want to listen to music, there’s an error…” ?
mrnoone
Hey

“even if I want to listen to music, there’s an error…”
seanblue
Johnathan-Weir
Yeah I’m kinda wondering too. All the sentences use the formal forms けれど or が except one.

Is this just a common way of using the phrasing or would it sound unnatural to use these in a friendly conversation?
Daru
They are all acceptable. It’s just that they’re mostly used with formal variants so its better to make it a habit to use the ‘fully formal’ variants rather than the informal. (Which is why we mark it as a hint and not a mistake.)

In the case of たら, there’s no informal way to state what たら states, that’s why its unchanged.

Hope this helps!