Difference between revisions of "Two words for "but""

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* 我 喜欢 他,<em>可是</em> / <em>但是</em> 他 不 喜欢 我。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ xǐhuan tā, <em>kěshì</em> / <em>dànshì</em> tā bù xǐhuan wǒ. </span> <span class="trans">I like him, but he doesn't like me. </span>
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* 我 喜欢 他,<em>可是</em> 他 不 喜欢 我。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ xǐhuan tā, <em>kěshì</em> tā bù xǐhuan wǒ. </span> <span class="trans">I like him, but he doesn't like me. </span>
* 我 很 想 去,<em>可是</em> / <em>但是</em> 我 太 忙 了。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ hěn xiǎng qù, <em>kěshì</em> / <em>dànshì</em> wǒ tài máng le. </span> <span class="trans">I really want to go, but I am too busy. </span>
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* 我 很 想 去,<em>但是</em> 我 太 忙 了。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ hěn xiǎng qù, <em>dànshì</em> wǒ tài máng le. </span> <span class="trans">I really want to go, but I am too busy. </span>
* 中文 很 有意思,<em>可是</em> / <em>但是</em> 也 很 难。<span class="pinyin">Zhōngwén hěn yǒuyìsi, <em>kěshì</em> / <em>dànshì</em> yě hěn nán. </span> <span class="trans">Chinese is very interesting, but it is also very hard. </span>
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* 中文 很 有意思,<em>但是</em> 也 很 难。<span class="pinyin">Zhōngwén hěn yǒuyìsi, <em>dànshì</em> yě hěn nán. </span> <span class="trans">Chinese is very interesting, but it is also very hard. </span>
* 我 喜欢 这 件 衬衫,<em>可是</em> / <em>但是</em> 太 贵 了。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ xǐhuan zhè jiàn chènshān, <em>kěshì</em> / <em>dànshì</em> tài guì le. </span> <span class="trans">I like this shirt, but it is too expensive. </span>
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* 我 喜欢 这 件 衬衫,<em>可是</em> 太 贵 了。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ xǐhuan zhè jiàn chènshān, <em>dànshì</em> tài guì le. </span> <span class="trans">I like this shirt, but it is too expensive. </span>
* 老板 昨天 给 他 打 电话,<em>可是</em> / <em>但是</em> 他 没 接。<span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn zuótiān gěi tā dǎ diànhuà, <em>kěshì</em> / <em>dànshì</em> tā méi jiē. </span> <span class="trans">The boss gave him a call yesterday, but he didn't answer. </span>
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* 老板 昨天 给 他 打 电话,<em>可是</em> 他 没 接。<span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn zuótiān gěi tā dǎ diànhuà, <em>kěshì</em> tā méi jiē. </span> <span class="trans">The boss gave him a call yesterday, but he didn't answer. </span>
* iPhone 很好,<em>可是</em> / <em>但是</em> 我 没 钱 买。<span class="pinyin">iPhone hěn hǎo, <em>kěshì</em> / <em>dànshì</em> wǒ méiqián mǎi. </span> <span class="trans">The iPhone is great, but I don't have money to buy it. </span>
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* iPhone 很 好,<em>但是</em> 我 没 钱 买。<span class="pinyin">iPhone hěn hǎo, <em>dànshì</em> wǒ méi qián mǎi. </span> <span class="trans">The iPhone is great, but I don't have the money to buy it. </span>
* 你们 可以 在 这里  看书,<em>可是</em> / <em>但是</em> 不 可以 说话。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ kěyǐ zài zhèlǐ kàn shū, <em>kěshì</em> / <em>dànshì</em> bù kěyǐ shuōhuà. </span> <span class="trans">You can read books here, but you can't talk. </span>
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* 你们 可以 在 这里  看书,<em>可是</em> 不 可以 说话。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ kěyǐ zài zhèlǐ kàn shū, <em>kěshì</em> bù kěyǐ shuōhuà. </span> <span class="trans">You can read books here, but you can't talk. </span>
* 你 可以 吃, <em>可是</em> / <em>但是</em> 不 可以 吃 太 多。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ kěyǐ chī, <em>kěshì</em> / <em>dànshì</em> bù kěyǐ chī tài duō. </span> <span class="trans">You can eat, but you can't eat too much. </span>
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* 你 可以 吃, <em>但是</em> 不 可以 吃 太 多。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ kěyǐ chī, <em>dànshì</em> bù kěyǐ chī tài duō. </span> <span class="trans">You can eat, but you can't eat too much. </span>
*  他 说 五点 来 见 我,<em>可是</em> / <em>但是</em> 他 没 来。<span class="pinyin">Tā shuō wǔdiǎn lái jiàn wǒ, <em>kěshì</em> / <em>dànshì</em> tā méi lái. </span> <span class="trans">He said he would come to see me at five, but he didn't. </span>
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*  他 说 五点 来 见 我,<em>但是</em> 他 没 来。<span class="pinyin">Tā shuō wǔdiǎn lái jiàn wǒ, <em>dànshì</em> tā méi lái. </span> <span class="trans">He said he would come to see me at five, but he didn't. </span>
* 这 个 地方 很 漂亮,<em>可是</em> / <em>但是</em> 人 太 多 了。<span class="pinyin">Zhè ge dìfang hěn piàoliang, <em>kěshì</em> / <em>dànshì</em> rén tài duō le. </span> <span class="trans">This place is beautiful, but there are too many people. </span>
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* 这 个 地方 很 漂亮, <em>但是</em> 人 太 多 了。<span class="pinyin">Zhè ge dìfang hěn piàoliang, <em>dànshì</em> rén tài duō le. </span> <span class="trans">This place is beautiful, but there are too many people. </span>
 
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Revision as of 06:37, 19 March 2016

Using "but" in Chinese is really simple and easy to learn. It involves two words 可是 (kěshì) and 但是 (dànshì). Make no "buts" about it; you'll understand it in no time!

Basic Pattern

There are two main words for "but" in Chinese: 可是 (kěshì) and 但是 (dànshì). These are largely the same. The small difference is that 但是 (dànshì) is a bit more formal, whereas 可是 (kěshì) is more informal and a bit stronger in tone. You really don't need to worry about which one is the right one to use though, since they can be used interchangeably.

Statement, 可是 / 但是 + [contrary statement]

Examples

Usually 可是 (kěshì) and 但是 (dànshì) precede a new phrase within a sentence:

  • 我 喜欢 他,可是 他 不 喜欢 我。Wǒ xǐhuan tā, kěshì tā bù xǐhuan wǒ. I like him, but he doesn't like me.
  • 我 很 想 去,但是 我 太 忙 了。 Wǒ hěn xiǎng qù, dànshì wǒ tài máng le. I really want to go, but I am too busy.
  • 中文 很 有意思,但是 也 很 难。Zhōngwén hěn yǒuyìsi, dànshì yě hěn nán. Chinese is very interesting, but it is also very hard.
  • 我 喜欢 这 件 衬衫,可是 太 贵 了。Wǒ xǐhuan zhè jiàn chènshān, dànshì tài guì le. I like this shirt, but it is too expensive.
  • 老板 昨天 给 他 打 电话,可是 他 没 接。Lǎobǎn zuótiān gěi tā dǎ diànhuà, kěshì tā méi jiē. The boss gave him a call yesterday, but he didn't answer.
  • iPhone 很 好,但是 我 没 钱 买。iPhone hěn hǎo, dànshì wǒ méi qián mǎi. The iPhone is great, but I don't have the money to buy it.
  • 你们 可以 在 这里 看书,可是 不 可以 说话。Nǐ kěyǐ zài zhèlǐ kàn shū, kěshì bù kěyǐ shuōhuà. You can read books here, but you can't talk.
  • 你 可以 吃, 但是 不 可以 吃 太 多。Nǐ kěyǐ chī, dànshì bù kěyǐ chī tài duō. You can eat, but you can't eat too much.
  • 他 说 五点 来 见 我,但是 他 没 来。Tā shuō wǔdiǎn lái jiàn wǒ, dànshì tā méi lái. He said he would come to see me at five, but he didn't.
  • 这 个 地方 很 漂亮, 但是 人 太 多 了。Zhè ge dìfang hěn piàoliang, dànshì rén tài duō le. This place is beautiful, but there are too many people.

Note: In informal spoken Chinese, 可是 (kěshì) can be shortened to 可 (kě), and 但是 (dànshì) can be shortened to 但 (dàn).

See also

Sources and further reading

Books