ところが (tokoroga)

Meaning & usage

However; but | A conjunction which is used to present what in fact happened or what is in fact the case when something else was/is expected.

Example sentences 9

1. A: 今晩のパーティー、君も来てくれるね。B: ところが、あいにく行けないの。

   A: [male speech] You can come to tonight's party, too, can't you? B: [female speech] No, I'm afraid I can't.

2. A: 彼女は結婚しているんでしょう？B:そう見えるでしょう？ところが、まだ独身なんですって。

   A: [female or polite male speech] (She is married, isn't she? B: [female speech] She looks like it, doesn't she? But I heard that she's still single.

3. アメリカでは鋸は押して切る。ところが、日本では引いて切る。

   In America you push a saw in order to cut; however, in Japan you pull one to cut.

4. アメリカへ来ればいくらでも仕事はあると言われた。ところが、来てみるとアメリカは不況でどこにも仕事はなかった。

   I was told that if I came to America, there would be a lot of jobs. However, when I came, there were no jobs anywhere because of the depression.

5. 先生は私達に遅刻してはいけないと何度も言った。ところが、次の日、時間通りに行ってみると先生はまだ来ていなかった。

   Our teacher repeatedly told us that we mustn't be late for his class. However, when I went to his class on time the next day, he was not yet there.

6. 日本から来た有名な先生の講演があるというので行ってみた。ところが、その先生は英語が下手で何を言っているのか全然分からなかった。

   Because I heard that there was going to be a lecture by a famous professor from Japan, I went (to listen to it). However, his English was so bad that I didn't understand what he was saying at all.

7. 日本式の部屋に 泊とまりたいと思って旅館を予約した。ところが、 通とおされた部屋は洋式だった。

   I wanted to stay in a Japanese-style room and made a reservation at an inn. However, the room I was shown to was a Western-style one.

8. 私の娘はアメリカにいる時綺麗な英語を話していた。ところが、日本へ帰って一年もたたないうちにきれいに忘れてしまった。

   My daughter was speaking beautiful English when she was in America. However, she forgot it completely within a year (literally: even before one year elapsed) after we came back to Japan.

9. Ａ：彼女にプロポーズしたんだろう？どうだった？Ｂ：ところが、駄目だったんだ。

   A: You proposed to her, right? What happened? B: It didn't work out. (literally: It was no good.)