Japanese Grammar

Complete: Japanese Conjunctions, Informal VS Formal

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Introduction

Japanese conjunctions are significant because they connect your sentences with their purposes, e.g. resultative, contradictory, parallel, addition, reason, etc. Although most people pay attention to the purposes when using conjunctions, one important point is often ignored. That is whether the conjunctions are informal or formal. Thus, I have categorized typical Japanese conjunctions into “Informal”, “Natural” and, ”Formal” categories. In regards to the “Natural” ones, you can use them both in daily and business conversations. Please utilize them for your Japanese scripts.

Japanese Conjunctions List

  Informal Natural Formal
So ってことで だから、ということで、なので したがって、よって
And then そして、それから その、つづいて
If so なら それなら、だったら そうなれば、そうだとすれば、それならば
But けど、だけど、でも けれど、けども、けれども、しかし、だけども、ですが、ところが しかしながら、それにはんして
Although なのに それなのに、というのに それにもかかわらず、であるにもかかわらず、であるが
On the other hand   一方いっぽう(で) ほう(で)、 かたや
And それと また かつ、および、ならびに
In addition おまけに、それに くわえて、さらに、しかも、そして そればかりか、そればかりでなく、なおかつ
Or それか または、もしくは あるいは、ないしは
That is ようは つまり、ようするに すなわち
Because だって、なんでかって それは、というのは、というのも、なぜかとうと なぜなら(ば)、なぜかと言えば
In other words というか いかえると いわば、いうなれば
For your reference どうでもいいけど ちなみに、くわえると 参考さんこうまで、だんながら
By the way ってか そういえば、それはそうと、ところで さて、それはさておき、ときに

Note: There are English phrases along with the conjunctions. However, they are not exact translations, they are just for you to get a general idea of how they are used in Japanese. In Japanese scripts, you have to be consistent. If you explain something casually and then use formal Japanese conjunctions suddenly, it would sound a bit strange to native speakers. If you would like to learn more about Japanese conjunctions with examples, you may ask your tutors.

Examples

なかいた。(Good: ってことで / Bad: したがって)、ごはんこう。

つうおさまらない。(Good: したがって/ Bad: ってことで)、病院びょういん必要ひつようがある。

まずアメリカにった。(Good:で / Bad: その)、カナダにもった。

まず講演こうえんをおきください。(Good: その / Bad: で)、しつ応答おうとうがあります。

あまいものがきらいなの?(Good: なら / Bad: そうならば)、わたしべるよ。

契約けいやくはんをするつもりですか?(Good: そうならば / Bad: なら)、我々われわれにもかんがえがあります。

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Author – Takuya Tokiwa

Takuya is the co-founder, Project Director of Wasabi and a serial entrepreneur in the education field. He is utilizing all of his knowledge and experiences for innovating Japanese learning.

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Natalia is the Editor and Web Content Manager of Wasabi. She majored in Writing with a minor in Journalism and graduated from Loyola University Maryland in 2013. She was the Assistant Content Editor for the popular culture website EmcBlue, and has written and edited for a variety of publications in both Japan and the United States.

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