A softer "but" with "buguo"

Instead of just using 可是 or 但是, you can also use the softer and more informal 不过 (búguò).

Structure

Just like its counterparts, "不过" is a conjunction that comes between two distinct clauses.

Clause 1, 不过 + Clause 2

Examples

• 我 可以 喝 白酒，不过 只 能 喝 一点。Wǒ kěyǐ hē báijiǔ, bùguò zhǐ néng hē yīdiǎn . I can drink baijiu, but only a little.
• 我们 玩得 很 开心，不过 住 的 地方 不 太 好。Wǒmen wánde hěn kāixīn, bùguò zhùde dìfāng bù tài hǎo.We had a lot of fun, but the place we stayed at was not very good.
• 他 的 汉语 不错，不过 发音 不 太 好。Tā de Hànyǔ bùcuò, bùguò fāyīn bù tài hǎo.His Chinese is pretty good, but his pronunciation is not very good.
• 这 件 衣服 我 很 喜欢，不过 有点 贵。 Zhè jiàn yīfu wǒ hěn xǐhuān, bùguò yǒudiǎn guì. I like this piece of clothing, but it's a little bit expensive.
• 这个 房子 很 好，不过 有点 远 。 Zhè gè fángzi hěn hǎo, bùguò yǒudiǎn yuǎn.This house is nice, but it's a little bit far away.

See also

• Two words for "but"
• "Although" with "suiran" and "danshi"

Sources and further reading

Books

• Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide (pp. 258) →buy
• Short-term Spoken Chinese: Elementary (汉语口语速成基础篇) (pp. 23) →buy
• Chinese Grammar - Broken down into 100 items - Basic and Intermediate Levels (汉语语法百项讲练 - 初中级) (pp. 254) →buy
• Boya Chinese Lower Intermediate 1 (博雅汉语准中级加速篇) (pp. 12) →buy
• Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1 (p. 163) →buy
• Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2 (p. 96) →buy