〜のに (contrast) "although / even though / despite"

Contrary to expectation; the speaker feels surprise, regret, or dissatisfaction.

〜のに means "even though / although" and carries a feeling: surprise, regret or complaint. 一生懸命勉強したのに、試験に落ちた = I studied hard, yet I failed. The first part is a real fact, and the second part is what actually happened, against your expectation. Nouns and な-adjectives take なのに (日曜日なのに). At the end of a sentence, のに alone shows regret: 言ってくれればよかったのに (you should have told me).

Everyday complaints and disappointments in speech and writing. Because the second clause must be a fact, you cannot follow のに with a request, command, invitation or your own plan; for those use が or けど. Compared with けど, のに is stronger and more emotional.

• V-plain + のに: 勉強したのに, 飲んだのに
• い-adjective + のに: 寒いのに
• な-adjective + なのに: 便利なのに
• Noun + なのに: 日曜日なのに
• Main clause: a fact (not a request, command or invitation)

1. 01

   一生懸命勉強したのに、試験に落ちた。

   いっしょうけんめい べんきょうしたのに、しけんに おちた。

   Even though I studied hard, I failed the exam.

   Real effort, disappointing result: regret.

2. 02

   今日は日曜日なのに、会社に行かなければならない。

   きょうは にちようびなのに、かいしゃに いかなければ ならない。

   Even though it's Sunday, I have to go to work.

   Noun + なのに: a complaint about working on Sunday.

3. 03

   薬を飲んだのに、熱が下がらない。

   くすりを のんだのに、ねつが さがらない。

   I took medicine, but the fever won't go down.

   The expected effect did not happen.

4. 04

   もう十二月なのに、あまり寒くない。

   もう じゅうにがつなのに、あまり さむくない。

   Even though it's already December, it isn't very cold.

   Noun + なのに, with surprise.

5. 05

   せっかく料理を作ったのに、誰も食べなかった。

   せっかく りょうりを つくったのに、だれも たべなかった。

   I went to the trouble of cooking, but nobody ate it.

   せっかく〜のに is a common pairing for wasted effort.

• 〜ても

  ても is "even if", hypothetical or general, and allows any second clause. のに is "even though", about a real fact, with emotion. Compare side by side

• 〜のに (purpose)

  Same letters, but followed by 使う / 便利 / かかる. The contrast のに is followed by an unexpected result. Compare side by side

• 〜が / 〜けど

  Neutral "but". Use them when the second clause is a request, invitation or plan (寒いけど、出かけましょう).

• ✗

  今日は日曜日のに、仕事がある。

  ✓

  今日は日曜日なのに、仕事がある。

  Why

  Nouns and な-adjectives need な before のに.

• ✗

  寒いのに、窓を開けてください。

  ✓

  寒いけど、窓を開けてください。

  Why

  The clause after のに cannot be a request. Use けど or が.

• ✗

  明日雨が降るのに、試合をします。(hypothetical)

  ✓

  明日雨が降っても、試合をします。

  Why

  A future possibility is "even if", which is ても. のに is for something that has really happened or is really so.

のに always carries feeling; for a plain contrast without emotion, use が or けど. Sentence-final のに: 行けばよかったのに (you should have gone), もっと早く言ってくれればいいのに (I wish you'd told me sooner). 〜のに is common with words of effort or expectation: せっかく, 一生懸命, たくさん, もう.