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What exactly is the difference between these two phrases. How does けど/が affect the meaning and how does it relate to its meaning of 'but'?

I asked a native speaker how to say "I hope I will be able to eat everything." (When presented with a very large meal). I was told 全て食べる事が出来るといいんですけど

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~といいですね

'I hope/wish X' (hope/wish for someone else)

~といいんですが

~といいんですけど

'I hope/wish X' (hope/wish for yourself)

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The が・けど makes you sound more modest and tentative/hesitant.

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  • I see, does it make it sound like you think the thing you hope might not happen?
    – debrucey
    May 21, 2016 at 22:42
  • You still want it to happen. But it shows that you aren't desperate and obsessed over it and modest and it would be great if it happened but I wouldn't cry over it.
    – saloomi2012
    May 21, 2016 at 22:43
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The difference between the two is the percentage of conviction in what you are saying.

Ending sentences with です usually indicates 100% of conviction.

On the other hand, sentences ending in といいんですけど would be lower than 100%.

Though the two phrases would mean the same thing, the nuance is slightly different.

Note: Sometimes ですけど can just be used as a conjunction while speaking, without any nuance of "but". It really depends on the entire context of the conversation.

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