Start with a question:
努力した＿＿成功しなかった。
A. から B. のに C. ので D. ために
The answer is B. のに. "Even though I tried hard, I didn't succeed" -- のに expresses surprise and dissatisfaction.
The Core Feeling of のに
のに is a concessive conjunction meaning "even though... yet..." or "despite the fact that..." Unlike けど, のに carries strong emotions of surprise, regret, frustration, or blame:
| のに (emotional) | けど (neutral) |
|---|---|
| 約束したのに来なかった。 | 約束したけど来なかった。 |
| We made plans yet they didn't come. (frustrated) | Although we made plans, they didn't come. (stating a fact) |
Using のに means you're expressing "this shouldn't be happening!"
Conjugation Rules
| Word type | How to attach | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb | Plain form + のに | 食べたのに, 行くのに |
| い-adjective | Plain form + のに | 高いのに |
| な-adjective | Stem + な + のに | 静かなのに |
| Noun | Noun + な + のに | 日曜日なのに |
Key point: な-adjectives and nouns require な before のに -- same conjugation rule as のだ.
Typical Examples
Surprise
-
今は十月なのにまだ暑い。 → It's already October, yet it's still hot.
-
日曜日なのに会社に行かなければならない。 → Even though it's Sunday, I have to go to work.
Frustration / Blame
-
努力したのに成功しなかった。 → I tried so hard, yet I didn't succeed.
-
約束したのに、彼は来なかった。 → We made plans, yet he didn't come.
Regret
-
景色が綺麗なのに遊びに来ない。 → The scenery is so beautiful, yet they won't come visit. (What a waste)
-
せっかく作ったのに、誰も食べなかった。 → I went through the trouble of making it, yet nobody ate it.
のに vs けど vs ても
All three can mean "although... but..." The difference is emotional intensity:
| Emotion | Feeling | Example | |
|---|---|---|---|
| のに | Strong (frustrated/regretful) | Even though... yet... | 約束したのに来ない |
| けど | Weak (neutral statement) | Although... but... | 約束したけど来ない |
| ても | None (hypothetical/concessive) | Even if... still... | 約束しても来ない |
のに talks about something that already happened and you're unhappy about it; ても talks about a hypothetical situation where the result wouldn't change.
Common Mistakes
1. Forgetting な with nouns and な-adjectives
- ✗ 日曜日のに仕事だ
- ○ 日曜日なのに仕事だ
2. のに can't be followed by commands/requests
のに expresses personal feelings, so it can't be followed by commands:
- ✗ 雨なのに出かけてください
- ○ 雨なのに出かけるんですか (surprise)
Self-Test
Q1. What emotion does 「せっかくの休みなのに雨だ」 express?
Show answer
Regret and frustration -- It's finally a day off, and it's raining. のに conveys the feeling that "this shouldn't be happening."
Q2. Fill in: 薬を飲んだ＿＿熱が下がらない。
A. ので B. のに C. から
Show answer
B. のに. "Even though I took medicine, my fever won't go down" -- the result is opposite to expectations, with frustration. ので and から both express reasons, which doesn't fit here.
Q3. Is 「静かのに」 correct?
Show answer
No. 静か is a な-adjective, so it needs な before のに: 静かなのに.
Summary
- のに = "even though... yet..." with surprise, frustration, regret
- Conjugation: verbs/い-adjectives + のに; な-adjectives/nouns + なのに
- Compared to けど, のに is more emotional
- Compared to ても, のに describes facts while ても describes hypotheticals
- Cannot be followed by commands/requests