Two words for "but"
Revision as of 03:40, 16 May 2012 by ViktorMugli (talk | contribs)
Basic Pattern
There are two main words for "but" in Chinese: 可是 and 但是. These are largely the same, with some small differences:
| 可是 | 但是 |
|---|---|
| Lighter | Stronger |
| Less formal | More formal |
| Used more in speech | Used more in writing |
| Used more in the north | Used more in the south |
Usually 可是 and 但是 precede a new phrase within a sentence:
- 我 喜欢，但是 我 不 需要 买。
- 在 图书馆 你 可以 喝水，但是 不 可以 抽烟。
- 我们 决定 九点 见面，可是 我 觉得 他 会 迟到。
