What Is "Kedo" in Japanese?

By
Namiko Abe
Namiko Abe
Japanese Language Expert
  • B.A., Kwansei Gakuin University
Namiko Abe is a Japanese language teacher and translator, as well as a Japanese calligraphy expert. She has been a freelance writer for nearly 20 years.
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Updated on February 25, 2020

"Kedo" (sometimes "keredo") is a particle that follows a clause. It translates into "but."

Kore wa chiisai desu kedo,
omoi desu.
これは小さいですけど、重いです。		 This is small, but heavy.
Yonda kedo, wakarimasen deshita.
読んだけど、分かりませんでした。		 I read it, but I didn't understand it.


In many cases when "kedo" is used at the end of a sentence, the original meaning "but" fades away, and it simply functions as a softener to avoid an abrupt remark.

Yakyuu ga suki desu ka.
野球が好きですか。		 Do you like baseball?
Hai, suki desu kedo.
はい、好きですけど。		 Yes, I like it.


When making a phone call and identifying yourself, "kedo" is often used as a softener.

Tanaka desu kedo.
田中ですけど。

This is Tanaka.

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Abe, Namiko. "What Is "Kedo" in Japanese?" ThoughtCo, Feb. 16, 2021, thoughtco.com/what-is-kedo-in-japanese-sentence-4037930. Abe, Namiko. (2021, February 16). What Is "Kedo" in Japanese? Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-kedo-in-japanese-sentence-4037930 Abe, Namiko. "What Is "Kedo" in Japanese?" ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-kedo-in-japanese-sentence-4037930 (accessed March 20, 2023).