ところが

About

ところが is similar to "however" in English, is literary in tone, and comes at the start of a sentence. ところが must be followed by some information that is surprising, or unexpected.

E.g. すしをわさび抜ぬきで注文ちゅうもんした。ところが、わさびありのを出だされた。 "I ordered sushi without wasabi. However, it was served with wasabi."

It is becoming less common, but ところが may also come in the middle of a sentence.

E.g. 先生せんせいならわかると思おもい聞きいたところが、先生せんせいもわからなかった。 "I asked my teacher, thinking that they would understand, however, they also did not understand."

When ところが comes in the middle of a sentence, が is sometimes dropped.

E.g. 先生せんせいならわかると思おもい聞きいたところ、先生せんせいもわからなかった。 "I asked my teacher, thinking that they would understand, however, they also did not understand."

Summary

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  ところが is similar to "however" in English

• 

  ところが is literary in tone

• 

  Generally, ところが comes at the start of a sentence, but it may occasionally also come in the middle

• 

  ところが must be followed by some information that is surprising, or unexpected