Desu kedo...

[nata_no]

Have come across that sentences like to end with "desu kedo", what does "kedo" mean?

 

[SacredBlue]

kedo is an informal way of saying "but". The two most used words for "but" that I've heard are kedo and demo, demo being more formal. Also, kedo and demo will always have a comma after them, not preceding them like in English. For example:

English grammar:
I hate school, but I still go

Japanese grammar:
私は学校を嫌いますけど, まだ行きます。 (I hate school but, I still go)

けど＝but
嫌=dislike
学校=school
行き= go

Now switch kedo with demo and it still means the same thing only more formal.

wakarimasu ka?

 

[Elizabeth]

Actually I don't think there is that much difference in formality, but demo and kedo are used in entirely different ways and switching would be impossible in this case -- you'd have to use "ga," or the more formal "keredo" or "keredomo" instead.

 

[Elizabeth]

Sorry for the double posting :sorry:. Anyway, I guess it should be pointed out that you'd would need to begin a new sentence for "Demo" since (along with "shikashi" dakedo, daga etc) it cannot be used in conjunction with a "masu" ending. So the most natural way of saying is probably something more like "Gakkou ga kiraidesuga/kedo/...."

 

[nata_no]

Hi guys, thanx for your help!!
domo arigatou gozaimashita ne...

ima wakarimashita!!

 

[heno heno moheji]

"kedo" has another translation except "but".

e.g.

I(heno heno moheji) am not good at English though, I write into this bulletin board.
私は英語が上手くないですけど、(私は)この掲示板に書き込みします。
watashi wa eigo ga umaku nai desu kedo, (watashi wa) kono keijiban ni kakikomi si masu.

"kedo" is similar to a way of saying that "though " is placed on the sentence end in English on occasion.
the way that figure out if "kedo" means "but" or "though" depends on the contxet.

Originally posted by SacredBlue
English grammar:
I hate school, but I still go

Japanese grammar:
私は学校を嫌いますけど, まだ行きます。 (I hate school but, I still go)

to SacredBlue,
it's approximately right, but a small mistake is found.
the correct sentense is
私は学校が嫌いですけど、まだ行ってます。
watashi wa gakkou ga kirai desu kedo, mada itte masu.

as another way of saying colloquially
私は学校が嫌いだけど、まだ行ってる。
watashi wa gakkou ga kirai da kedo, mada itte ru.
"desu kedo" makes the listeners feel the politeness more than "da kedo".