How to Use Linking Words

and Phrases to Connect Your

Sentences
August 7, 2017 / Lily Cernak

Adding a few linking words and phrases

between your sentences (words similar to the
English “and then,” “and so,” “after all,” and so
on) can help your Japanese feel very fluid
and natural. This is especially good when
telling a story or relating a series of events. This
article will introduce some of the most common
of these linking words and phrases, with
examples of how and when to use them!

Linking Words and Phrases

だって
だってDatte
Use “ だ っ て datte” at the beginning of a
sentence to elaborate on or explain the
previous sentence. It can mean “but,”
“because,” or “after all” (sometimes, its
meaning is a combination of these meanings).

Example:

アラスカに行った時、セーターを５枚
も持ってきた。だって、アラスカがものすご
く寒いもんだ。

Alaska ni itta toki, se-ta- o go mai mo

motte kita. Datte, Alaska ga monosugoku
samui mon da

When I went to Alaska, I brought five

sweaters. It’s cold there, after all.

If you watch Japanese tv dramas or anime, you

may also hear “ だ っ て datte” used either by
itself or at the start of a sentence either as an
indication that the following sentence will be an
explanation, or as an exclamation of frustration
or petulance (or both at the same time).

Note:

When translating, be aware that “ だって datte”

can have several other meanings. It is either
attached to a singular word, or used in a
different part of the sentence.

だってdatte” to:
For example, attach “だって

1. Question words (who, when, where, etc) to

modify them to be “no matter___” (“ い つ
itsu” means “when” but “ い つ だ っ て  
itsudatte” means “no matter when).”
2. Any noun to mean “even___.” For
instance, “ 私だってwatashi datte” means
“even me” or “even I”).

で も Demo , け ど kedo , し
かし shikashi , and が ga
Japanese has quite a few words that all mean
“but” or “however.” These words have little
difference in meaning, but they are slightly
different in terms depending on usage.

Most importantly, we use “ でも demo” and “ し

かし shikashi” at the start of a sentence (when
the previous sentence ended with a period).
And we use “ け ど kedo” and “ が ga” to link
two sentences or thoughts with no periods
between.

“ でも demo,” “ けど kedo,” and “ が ga” are all

fairly standard words, with the main difference
between them being that “ が ga” can
sometimes have a meaning closer to “and” than
“but.”

“Shikashi,” on the other hand, sounds

somewhat more formal. It’s heard when an
explanation is being given or a story is being
told as opposed to in casual conversation.

Examples:

アラスカを旅行した事がある。でも、
ハワイイを旅行した事がない。

Alaska o ryokou shita koto ga aru.

Demo, Hawaii o ryokou shita koto ga nai

I have traveled in Alaska. But, I have

not traveled in Hawaii.

アラスカを旅行した事があるけど、ハ
ワイイを旅行した事がない。

Alaska o ryokou shita koto ga aru

kedo, Hawaii o ryokou shita koto ga nai

I have traveled in Alaska, but I have not

traveled in Hawaii.

Note 1:

Similarly to “だって datte,” “でも demo” can be

used on the following:

1. Attach to question words to modify them

to be “no matter___” (for instance, “いつで
も itsudemo” (much like “ い つ だ っ て
itsudatte”) means “no matter when”)
2. Attached to any noun to mean “even___”
(for instance, “ 私 で も watashi demo”
means “even me” or “even I”).

Note 2:

You may sometimes hear people saying “けれど

keredo,” “ けれども keredomo,” or other similar
words in place of “ けどkedo.” These words are
all more or less the same in meaning.

そういえば Souieba
“そういえば souieba” literally means “if you say
[it/that]”. It’s used at the start of a sentence
similarly to how the phrase “That reminds me”
is used in English.

Example:

そういえば、ネットで読んだ記事によ
ると、春のアラスカはかなり暖かい。

Souieba, netto de yonda kiji ni yoru to,

haru no Alaska wa kanari atatakai

That reminds me, according to an

article I read online, spring in Alaska is quite
warm.

それで Sore de
We use “ それで sore de” at the beginning of a
sentence when the sentence will be
describing the results of an action or
situation. This is similar to a combination of
“then” and “and so.”

Example:

セーターを持っていかなかった。それ
で、風邪を引いてしまった。

Se-ta- o motte ikanakatta. Sore de,

kaze o hiite shimatta

I didn’t bring a sweater. So then, I

caught a cold.

それでも Sore demo

“ そ れ で も sore demo” literally means “even
that,”. But is used similarly to the English “even
so”. You can use it at the start of a sentence.

Example:

寒い所はあまり好きじゃない。それで
も、アラスカに行くと決めた。

Samui tokoro wa amari suki janai.

Soredemo, Alaska ni iku to kimeta

I don’t like cold places very much.

Even so, I decided to go to Alaska.

それから Sore kara

“ それから sore kara” means “after that” . We
use it either at the start of a sentence or in
the middle of a sentence to continue a list of
sequential actions or events.

Example:

去年の１月にアラスカを旅行した。そ
れから、アラスカに引っ越すと決めた。

Kyonen no 1 gatsu ni Alaska o ryokou

shita. Sorekara, Alaska ni hikkosu to kimeta

In January of last year, I traveled in

Alaska. After that, I decided to move to
Alaska.

そ れ に Sore ni and し か も
shikamo
“それに sore ni” and “しかも shikamo” are both
similar in meaning to the English “on top of
that” or “moreover.” We use it either at the
start of a sentence or in the middle of a
sentence.

Examples:

ア ラス カ の 夏 は と て も 暖 か い 。 そ れ
に、夏には太陽が沈まない。

Alaska no natsu wa totemo atatakai.

Soreni, natsu ni wa taiyou ga shizumanai

Alaska’s summers are very warm. On

top of that, in the summer the sun does not
set.

アラスカの夏はとても暖かい、しかも
夏には太陽が沈まない。

Alaska no natsu wa totemo atatakai,

shikamo natsu ni wa taiyou ga shizumanai

Alaska’s summers are very warm, and

on top of that, in the summer the sun does
not set.

Those are all our linking words and phrases for

now! There are still more that we did not get a
chance to cover, though!

If there are any other linking words or phrases

that you want to learn about in particular, or if
you have any questions about the words and
phrases in this article, leave us a comment and
we’ll include that information in our next linking
words and phrases article!

Japanese grammar

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Name

Francis Constantino Peña

− ⚑
2 years ago

subarashii
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Lily Cernak > Francis Constantin…
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2 years ago

Arigatou!
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