And, But, Or, So...

AlanN

Sakura sensee, can you give me some connectives in Japanese? I know how to say 'and' (to), but I know that's only used to connect two nouns. How do I say 'and' to connect two sentences? Or to continue a thought, for example:

Koocha o ippai, kudasai.

...(And)... miruku to satoo ga arimasu ka? 

(Maybe using 'and' and 'also' here doesn't really translate, but I feel like I need something to connect the second request to the first.)

Other helpful connectives would be:

but (I think that's demo?)

or (soretomo?)

so/therefore...

then...

And if I want to get someone's attention, for example to ask directions or any other question, do I just say sumimasen?

Sakura

Japanese connectives are a bit tricky, because many of them require the preceding predicate to be in a certain form, for example, the plain form or the -te form. 

So, to say, "I eat and drink", "I like it because it's delicious", or "It's small but expensive"  in Japanese is actually more complicated than you would imagine.

However, here's the good news. It's all complicated only if you try to say everything in one sentence. If you are new to the language and not ready for all the complexity yet, there are simple expressions that you can use in between two independent sentences. 

Does that make sense? So let me introduce expressions which you can start the second sentence with. They logically connect the first and the second sentences.

• それから sorekara ("and", "and then")

私は東京に行きます。それから、京都に行きます。

Watashi wa Tokyoo ni ikimasu. Sorekara, Kyooto ni ikimasu. 

I'll go to Tokyo. And then I'll go to Kyoto. 

紅茶を一杯ください。それから、ミルクと砂糖はありますか。

Koocha o ippai kudasai. Sorekara, miruku to satoo wa arimasuka.

Please give me a cup of black tea.  ....And do you have milk and sugar?

紅茶を一杯ください。それからケーキを一つください。

Koocha o ippai kudasai. Sorekara, keeki o hitotsu kudasai.

Please give me a cup of black tea. And please give me a piece of cake.

• でも demo (but)

これは小さいです。でも、高いです。

Kore wa chiisai desu. Demo, takai desu.

This is small. But, this is expensive.

• それとも soretomo ("or")

デパートは遠いですか。それとも、近いですか。

Depaato wa tooi desu ka. Soretomo, chikai desu ka.

Is the department store far? Or, is it near?

• なので nanode ("so", "therefore")

私は日本語があまり話せません。なので、英語で話してくださいますか。

Watashi wa nihongo ga amari hanasemasen. Nanode, eego de hanashite kudasai masuka.

"I don't speak Japanese very well. So, could you speak to me in English?"

Those expressions come in handy!!

To answer your last question; yes Sumimasen is what you say when you want someone's attention!

AlanN

Perfect! I'll stick to two sentences and simpler forms for now. And I will commit that very important phrase to memory!

Watashi wa nihongo ga amari hanasemasen. Nanode, eego de hanashite kudasai masuka.

I will use it very frequently!