だが vs でも - When to Use Which Japanese "But"

Both だが and でも mean "but," but using them wrong makes you sound awkward or inappropriately masculine.

The Key Difference

でも = Casual, gender-neutral "but" (safe for everyone)
だが = Masculine, authoritative "however" (mainly adult men)

Who Uses What

でも (Safe for everyone):

• Casual conversation with friends
• Children and teenagers
• Women in most contexts
• Anyone wanting to sound friendly

Example: "映画は良かった。でも、長すぎた。"
"The movie was good. But it was too long."

だが (Use carefully):

• Adult men speaking to equals/subordinates
• Formal writing and business contexts
• When asserting authority

Example: "売上は好調だ。だが、来月は厳しい。"
"Sales are strong. However, next month will be tough."

The Gender Problem

When women use だが in casual conversation, it sounds like they're trying to act masculine or tough. Native speakers notice this immediately.

The Complete Formality Scale

Ultra-formal: しかし, しかしながら
Polite: ですが, けれども
Casual: でも, だけど
Masculine: だが

Safe Strategy for Learners

Beginners: Use でも (casual) and ですが (polite). This covers 90% of situations.

Intermediate: Add しかし for formal writing. Understand だが but use sparingly.

Advanced: Master when だが sounds natural vs awkward.

Quick Examples

❌ Woman in meeting: "だが、予算が..." (sounds masculine)
✅ Woman in meeting: "ですが、予算が..." (appropriate)

❌ Casual chat: "だが、忙しい..." (weirdly formal)
✅ Casual chat: "でも、忙しい..." (natural)

Bottom Line

• でも = Your default casual "but"
• ですが = Your polite "but"
• だが = Masculine authority (use only if you understand the implications)

When in doubt, stick with でも and ですが. They work in almost every situation without social mistakes.