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How to Say ‘But I haven't been to Kyoto yet.’ in Japanese

でも、京都はまだ行ったことがありません。

de mo kyouto wa mada itsu ta koto ga ari mase n

[deh moh KYOH-toh wah ma-da EET tah koh-TOH ga ah-ree mah-SEH n]

Phrase Breakdown

でも、京都は

de mo kyouto wa

But as for Kyoto

でも (demo) means 'but'. 京都は (Kyōto wa) sets Kyoto as the topic. Pause briefly after でも.

Example

でも、京都は遠いです。

But Kyoto is far.

Words in this phrase

で

[deh]

but (part of でも)

First half of でも, a conjunction meaning 'but' or 'however' at the start of a sentence.

Example

でも、高いです。

But it's expensive.

も

[moh]

but (part of でも)

Second half of でも; together they mean 'but; however'.

Example

でも、大丈夫です。

But it's okay.

京都

kyouto

[KYOH-toh]

Kyoto

Former capital of Japan, famous for temples and shrines.

Example

京都は古い町です。

Kyoto is an old city.

は

[wah]

topic marker; as for

Marks 'today' as the topic. Written は but pronounced 'wa.'

Example

本日はお時間をいただき、ありがとうございます。

Thank you for giving me your time today.

まだ行ったことが

mada itsu ta koto ga

the experience of having gone, not yet

Means 'not yet... the experience of going'. Remember the small pause in 'it-ta'.

Example

まだ行ったことがない国が多いです。

There are many countries I haven't been to yet.

Words in this phrase

まだ

mada

[ma-da]

still

Indicates continuation of an action or state.

Example

まだ終わっていません。

It's not finished yet.

行っ

itsu

[EET]

Te-form stem of iku, 'to go'.

Example

駅まで行ってください。

Please go to the station.

た

[tah]

past tense ending

This ending completes the polite past tense form.

Example

空席がございました。

There were vacant seats.

こと

koto

[koh-TOH]

experience (in ~たことがある)

Nominalizer; after a past verb with がある/ない it expresses having (or not having) done something.

Example

すしを食べたことがあります。

I have eaten sushi before.

が

[ga]

subject marker

A particle marking the subject of the sentence.

Example

興味がある分野を教えてください。

Please tell me the field you are interested in.

ありません。

ari mase n

I haven't

The polite negative ending. It completes the meaning 'I've never been there yet'.

Example

問題はありません。

There's no problem.

Words in this phrase

あり

ari

[ah-ree]

exist/have

The stem of ある, used for existence or availability of things.

Example

S席はありましたか。

Were S seats available?

ませ

mase

[mah-SEH]

polite negative ending

Part of the polite negative form -masen, making a verb or expression negative and polite.

Example

わかりません。

I don't understand.

ん

[n]

(negative ending)

Contracted form of the polite negative ending, as in ありません.

Example

今日は時間がありません。

I don't have time today.

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