N5 — outside your level filter

が

がgaN5formal

savor + but

ajiwau ga

but; and — a difference stated, or a soft preamble

meaning: but

Same meaning

  • 味あじわう
  • 〜が
  • 味あじわうが

練習れんしゅうは重かさねたが、決勝けっしょうでは勝かてなかった。

renshuu wa kasaneta ga, kesshou de wa katenakatta.

We put in the practice, but we couldn't win the final. neutral

すみませんが、窓まどを閉しめていただけますか。

sumimasen ga, mado o shimete itadakemasu ka.

Excuse me, but could you close the window? formal

Same meaning19

but; even though

All examples4

but — two halves of one sentence that differ, polite speech or writing

  1. 練習れんしゅうは重かさねたが、決勝けっしょうでは勝かてなかった。

    renshuu wa kasaneta ga, kesshou de wa katenakatta.

    We put in the practice, but we couldn't win the final. neutral

  2. 検討けんとういたしましたが、今回こんかいは見送みおくらせていただきます。

    kentou itashimashita ga, konkai wa miokurasete itadakimasu.

    We have given it consideration, but we will pass on this occasion. formal

soft preamble — hands over context with nothing really different

  1. すみませんが、窓まどを閉しめていただけますか。

    sumimasen ga, mado o shimete itadakemasu ka.

    Excuse me, but could you close the window? formal

  2. もしもし、田中たなかと申もうしますが、鈴木すずきさんはいらっしゃいますか。

    moshi moshi, tanaka to moushimasu ga, suzuki-san wa irasshaimasu ka.

    Hello, this is Tanaka calling — is Suzuki-san there? formal

How it's formed3

Notes

が ending a finished verb or adjective is "but"; after a bare noun it's
the subject particle (犬いぬが走はしる). Plain-form だが reads bookish;
speech prefers ですが/ますが.