At a glance
～けれど means "but" or "although". It joins two clauses when the second one contrasts with the first, and it can also soften a statement.
[Clause A] けれど、[Clause B]
この本は高いけれど、おもしろいです。 This book is expensive, but it's interesting.
How to form it
けれど goes at the end of the first clause, after a plain or polite form:
| Type | Plain + けれど | Polite + けれど |
|---|---|---|
| Verb | 行くけれど / 行ったけれど / 行かないけれど | 行きますけれど |
| い-adjective | 高いけれど / 高かったけれど | 高いですけれど |
| な-adjective | 静かだけれど / 静かだったけれど | 静かですけれど |
| Noun | 学生だけれど / 学生だったけれど | 学生ですけれど |
Register, from casual to formal:
| Form | Register |
|---|---|
| けど | Casual, everyday speech |
| けれど | Neutral, a little softer and more careful than けど |
| けれども | More formal |
| が | Most formal; common in writing and formal speech |