Ok, I think I might understand when to use でも, but seriously, the others, I can never get right when doing the reviews. I’ve read through the lessons again. I conceptually might understand a little of the differences, but when faced with review sentences, I have no idea. Does anyone have any suggestions for ways to study these? Thanks for any help!
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This is a bit long, but I hope it helps.
けど, でも, and が are all ways to say “but.”
けど means “but” and can go in the middle of the sentence.
金がすき、けど金がない. I like money, but I don’t have money.
でも means “but,” but it’s the start of a new sentence.
金がない? でも、お前はベンズがるの? You don’t have money? But, you have a Mercedes…?
が also means “but” and can go in the middle of a sentence. I think it’s a bit more formal, though.
だから and なので are ways to say “because.”
だから means “because,” focusing on the cause.
たかいベンズだから、(金がない). Its an expensive Mercedes, (so I have no money.)
Here, the からmeans “from.” From the car being expensive, I’m broke. I put parentheses in the example, because often the effect can be implied. I am assuming that you know Mercedes cars are expensive, or at least that mine is expensive.
なので means “because,” but more focus on the effect. Let’s break this down.
な goes after な-adjectives and nouns to connect them to other things.
の can be used to emphasize that you’re explaining something.
で can mean “the way by which something happens,” like arriving by bus.
So the first statement connects with な, gets explained by の, and that is what allows (で) the second statement.
Overall, AなのでB means “A is true, and for that reason, B is true”.
Using the car example
たかいベンズなので、金がない.
Here, I have to say the second part. I’m assuming that you didn’t know that Mercedes cars are particularly expensive, and I’m actively trying to explain the effect that this has on my lack of money.
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Lovely. Thank you so very much. This all makes sense. Let’s see how tomorrow’s reviews go!
I guess one of two things happens…
これを読みましたけど、明日にはわかりません。
… or …
これ読みましたので明日はわかります。
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You were already provided with a detailed answer, so I won’t bother.
I will, however, try to give you piece of mind…
The average Japanese person doesn’t understand the difference either. The only thing they seem to agree on is that ので feels softer/more explanatory (better to use in formal and business settings), and から feels very casual.
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