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ところが

but, however (unexpectedly)

Sentence。ところが、unexpected result。

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ところが introduces a result that goes against what was expected: 朝はいい天気だった。ところが、午後から雨が降り出した, "the morning was lovely. But in the afternoon it started raining".

It's a "but" with surprise. The second half is usually a fact that already happened, often something outside the speaker's control. That's why it can't lead to your own intention, request or command.

Compare しかし and でも, which are general "but"s, and それなのに, which adds frustration ("and yet"). ところが is closer to "as it turned out".

Don't confuse it with ところで, "by the way", which changes the subject.

Examples

  • 朝あさはいい天気てんきだった。ところが、午後ごごから雨あめが降ふり出だした。

    The morning was lovely. But in the afternoon it started to rain.

  • すぐ終おわると思おもっていた。ところが、三時間さんじかんもかかった。

    I thought it would be over quickly. As it turned out, it took three hours.

  • 急いそいで駅えきに行いった。ところが、電車でんしゃはもう出でた後あとだった。

    I hurried to the station. But the train had already gone.

  • 彼かれは簡単かんたんだと言いった。ところが、実際じっさいはとても難むずかしかった。

    He said it was easy. But in fact it was really hard.

  • 店みせに電話でんわした。ところが、誰だれも出でなかった。

    I rang the shop. But nobody answered.

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