N2 · Expressions (N2)
にもかかわらず: despite the facts
despite, even though
A formal "despite": something should have stopped the result, and it did not.
にもかかわらず means "despite" or "even though", and it is the formal member of a family English speakers already know from のに. It attaches to a noun directly — 雨にもかかわらず, "despite the rain" — and to the plain form of a verb or an i-adjective: 注意したにもかかわらず, "even though I warned them". After a na-adjective or a noun used as a predicate, careful writing puts である in between: 不便であるにもかかわらず.
What it reports is a collision between a fact and a result. The first half is true; it ought to have led somewhere; the second half says it did not. That is also what のに does, but のに carries the speaker's disappointment and belongs to conversation, while にもかかわらず states the same collision with a straight face. It is the version used in news reports, letters, speeches and anything written for strangers.
Both halves are facts, and this is where English speakers go wrong. "Despite" and "even if" sit close together in English, and it is tempting to use にもかかわらず for a condition that has not happened yet. A hypothetical needs ても. For the same reason the second half does not carry a request, an order or the speaker's own plan: a sentence that asks somebody to do something has not yet collided with anything.
The phrase is normally written in kana. Kanji spellings exist, but in a modern text the kana form is the ordinary one.
The form
| after a noun | 雨にもかかわらず |
| after a verb (plain form) | 注意したにもかかわらず |
| after an i-adjective | 寒いにもかかわらず |
| after a na-adjective, in writing | 不便であるにもかかわらず |
| after a noun predicate, in writing | 休日であるにもかかわらず |
| opening a new sentence | それにもかかわらず、… |
The rules one by one
A noun takes にもかかわらず directly; verbs and i-adjectives take it in the plain form.
大雨にもかかわらず、試合は行われた。Despite the heavy rain, the match went ahead.
A na-adjective or a noun used as a predicate takes である before it in careful writing.
この地域は交通が不便であるにもかかわらず、人口が増えている。Although transport here is poor, the population is growing.
The second half reports a fact. It cannot be a request, an order or the speaker's intention.
何度も説明したにもかかわらず、同じ間違いが続いた。Although I explained it again and again, the same mistake kept happening.
それにもかかわらず can open a new sentence and point back to the one before.
準備は十分だった。それにもかかわらず、計画は失敗した。The preparation was thorough. Even so, the plan failed.
A closer look
のに, けれど and にもかかわらず
All three join a fact to a result that goes against it, and they differ in who is speaking and how they feel. けれど and が are neutral and can join almost anything, including two facts that merely contrast. のに is for the unexpected and the unwelcome, and it sounds like a complaint: 雨なのに出かけた wonders why anyone would do such a thing.
にもかかわらず takes the collision out of the speaker's mouth and puts it on paper. A news report that used のに would sound as if the journalist were annoyed; the same report with にもかかわらず simply records that the expected did not happen. When you are unsure which register a text needs, the choice between these two is a good test of it.
Exceptions and special cases (1)
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the second half reports what somebody chose to do
a verb of will is perfectly fine, because the choice has already been made and is now a fact.
家族に反対されたにもかかわらず、彼女は留学を決めた。Despite her family's opposition, she decided to study abroad.
The restriction is not on verbs of will as such but on requests and plans. An action that has already happened is reported like any other fact.
How to spot it
- にもかかわらず
- それにもかかわらず
- であるにもかかわらず
Example sentences
平日にもかかわらず、会場は満員だった。Although it was a weekday, the venue was full.
彼は熱があったにもかかわらず、最後まで働いた。Despite having a temperature, he worked to the end.
値段が高いにもかかわらず、この商品はよく売れている。Despite the high price, this product is selling well.
警報が出ていたにもかかわらず、多くの人が海に入った。Even though a warning had been issued, many people went into the sea.
お忙しいにもかかわらず、お越しいただきありがとうございます。Thank you for coming, busy as you are.
禁止されているにもかかわらず、ここに車を止める人が後を絶たない。Although it is forbidden, people keep on parking here.
7 more example sentences
努力したにもかかわらず、試験に落ちてしまった。Despite all the effort, I failed the exam.
夜遅い時間にもかかわらず、彼女は電話に出てくれた。Even though it was late at night, she answered the phone.
薬を飲んだにもかかわらず、熱が下がらない。I have taken the medicine, and my temperature still will not come down.
悪天候にもかかわらず、飛行機は定刻に到着した。Despite the bad weather, the plane landed on time.
彼は若いにもかかわらず、大きな責任を任されている。Young as he is, he has been given a great deal of responsibility.
強い反対があったにもかかわらず、道路の工事が始まった。Despite strong opposition, work on the road began.
日曜日にもかかわらず、会社に来ている人が何人かいた。Although it was Sunday, a few people had come in to the office.
Worth knowing (1)
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Without も it means regardless of
にかかわらず, with no も, is a different phrase: "regardless of", "whatever the". It usually follows a pair of opposites or a word that covers a range — 年齢, 天候, 経験の有無 — and says that the thing does not matter. One missing syllable turns "despite" into "regardless of", so read the phrase twice.
経験の有無にかかわらず、どなたでも応募できます。Anyone may apply, whether or not they have experience.
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
The English sentence is "even if it rains tomorrow", and the rain has not happened. にもかかわらず needs a fact that is already true, so a condition about the future takes ても. Ask whether the first half has already happened: if it has not, the answer is ても.
Use にもかかわらず for a fact that should have stopped something and did not — never for an "even if".
Your turn
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