N4 · Linking clauses
Although, and not happy about it: のに
のに (although, with feeling)
のに joins what should have happened to what did, and lets the speaker's surprise or annoyance show.
のに links two facts where the second goes against what the first would lead you to expect: 薬を飲んだのに、まだ頭が痛いです, "I took the medicine, but my head still hurts". It is close to English "although" or "even though", but it carries feeling — surprise, disappointment, frustration or a complaint.
It follows the plain form. A noun or a na-adjective takes な, exactly as with ので: 日曜日なのに, 便利なのに. Politeness, if needed, goes on the verb at the end of the sentence.
Because のに reports a result that has already turned out a certain way, the second half must be a fact. It cannot be a request, an invitation, a suggestion or a plan. "It is raining, but let's go out" needs けど or ても: 雨だけど、出かけましょう. This is the point where English speakers most often go wrong, because "although" in English has no such limit.
For a neutral "but", use けど or が. のに is never neutral, and it can sound like an accusation when the second half is about the listener: 待っていたのに is "I was waiting (and you did not come)". With colleagues and superiors, that edge is worth hearing before using it.
The form
| I took the medicine, but my head still hurts. | 薬を飲んだのに、まだ頭が痛いです。 |
| after a verb | 約束したのに |
| after an i-adjective | 高いのに |
| after a na-adjective | 便利なのに |
| after a noun | 日曜日なのに |
| at the end: if only | もっと早く来ればよかったのに。 |
The rules one by one
のに links an expectation with what actually happened, and shows the speaker's feeling about it.
一生懸命勉強したのに、試験に落ちました。I studied really hard, but I failed the exam.
A noun or na-adjective takes な before のに.
休みなのに、朝早く目が覚めました。Even though it was a day off, I woke up early.
The second half must be a fact, not a request, suggestion or plan; use けど for those.
雨だけど、散歩に行きましょう。It's raining, but let's go for a walk anyway.
At the end of a sentence, のに expresses regret about what did not happen.
言ってくれればよかったのに。You could have told me.
A closer look
のに at the end of a sentence
When the second half is obvious, Japanese leaves it out and ends on のに: 昨日は晴れていたのに。 "And yesterday it was so sunny" — said while looking at the rain. The unspoken second half is the disappointment.
The commonest form is 〜ばよかったのに or 〜たらよかったのに, "it would have been good if…": regret about yourself, or a gentle reproach to someone else. 来ればよかったのに to a friend who missed a party is "you should have come" — sympathetic, not cross.
Exceptions and special cases (1)
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のに follows a dictionary form and is followed by words such as 使う, 便利, 必要 or かかる
it means "for" or "in order to", not "although".
この鍋はスープを作るのに便利です。This pan is handy for making soup.
This is a different のに: the nominaliser の plus the particle に, "for doing". There is no feeling in it and no contrast.
How to spot it
- 〜のに、
- 〜なのに
- 〜よかったのに。
Example sentences
約束したのに、彼は来ませんでした。He promised, and then he didn't come.
この辞書は高いのに、あまり役に立ちません。This dictionary is expensive, but it isn't much use.
日曜日なのに、会社に行かなければなりません。It's Sunday, and I still have to go to work.
駅から近くて便利なのに、このアパートは安いです。This flat is close to the station and convenient, and yet it is cheap.
三回も説明したのに、まだ分かってくれません。I have explained it three times, and they still don't understand.
せっかく作ったのに、誰も食べませんでした。I went to the trouble of making it, and nobody ate it.
7 more example sentences
早く寝たのに、朝起きられませんでした。I went to bed early, but I still couldn't get up in the morning.
春なのに、今日はとても寒いです。It's spring, and yet it's very cold today.
先週買ったばかりなのに、もう壊れてしまいました。I only bought it last week, and it has already broken.
彼女は料理が上手なのに、あまり作りません。She is a good cook, but she rarely cooks.
窓を閉めたのに、部屋が寒いです。I closed the window, but the room is still cold.
知っていたのに、どうして教えてくれなかったんですか。You knew — why didn't you tell me?
もっと早く言ってくれたらよかったのに。If only you had told me sooner.
Worth knowing (1)
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のに against けど and ても
けど joins two facts that contrast and stays neutral. のに joins two facts where the second is a surprise or a disappointment. ても is about a condition that changes nothing, often hypothetical. 高いけど買った is a report; 高いのに買った sounds as if the speaker cannot believe it; 高くても買う is a decision made in advance.
高いのに、弟はまた新しいゲームを買いました。My brother has bought another new game, even though they are so expensive.
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
のに reports an outcome that has already gone against expectation, so what follows it has to be a fact. A suggestion such as 行きましょう is not a fact yet. English "although" does not care about this; Japanese does, and switches to けど, が or ても.
のに is although with a sigh, and only facts may follow it.
Your turn
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