| JLPT N4. Core grammar used in both writing and conversation. |
The particle のに is used to express “despite”. It can be appended to nouns, verb, and adjectives, but with nouns and na-adjectives it requires な before.
It should be thought of as a particle in its own right and not a combination of の and に.
| 仕事が残っているのにすぐに帰っちゃう。 |
| Head straight home despite still having work left. |
| 午前中なのにお酒を飲む。 |
| Drink despite it being morning. |
| 安いのに質がいい。 |
| Good quality despite being cheap. |
| やめると約束したのにタバコを吸うのを見ました。 |
| I saw him smoking despite that he promised to quit. |
| 私はセールスマンなのにお客さんの前で話すのが嫌い。 |
| Although I’m a salesman, I hate speaking in front of customers. |
It can also be used at the end of the sentences when the second clause is implied from the first.
| 早く言えばよかったのに（言わなかった）。 |
| You should have said sooner. |