Meaning
のに expresses a contradictory or opposing relationship between two clauses, emphasizing the speaker's emotion such as disappointment, regret, or surprise. Unlike が and けど which simply state factual contrast, のに conveys the speaker's feelings about the contradiction. It cannot be used in question sentences and must be followed by affirmative or negative statements.
Formation
| Part of speech | Formation |
|---|---|
| 动词普通形 | ＋のに |
| い形容词 | ＋のに |
| な形容词 | ＋な＋のに |
| 名词 | ＋な＋のに |
Examples
-
試合のために 一生懸命 練習したのに、負けてしまった。
I practiced hard for the competition, yet I lost. -
このパンは 安いのに、大きいです。
This bread is cheap, yet it's big. -
旅行が 好きなのに、お金がなくて、どこへも いけません。
I love traveling, but I don't have money, so I can't go anywhere. -
ご飯を 食べたばかりなのに、また お腹が 空いた。
I just ate, but I'm hungry again.
Summary
- のに shows contrast while expressing emotional reactions (disappointment, regret, surprise)
- Unlike が and けど, のに emphasizes the speaker's feelings, not just factual opposition
- Cannot be used in questions; forms: verb/i-adj + のに, na-adj/noun + な + のに