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.

仕事しごとのこっているのにすぐにかえっちゃう。
Head straight home despite still having work left.
午前中ごぜんちゅうなのにさけむ。
Drink despite it being morning.
やすのにしつがいい。
Good quality despite being cheap.
やめると約束やくそくしたのにタバコをうのをました。
I saw him smoking despite that he promised to quit.
わたしはセールスマンなのにきゃくさんのまえはなすのがきらい。
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.

はやえばよかったのにわなかった)。
You should have said sooner.
You May Also Like

Basic Japanese Verb Conjugations

There are three different groups of verbs in Japanese—referred to as group 1, 2, and 3 in textbooks.…

Inferring from Context

The kanji 訳 (わけ) means “translation” or “inference” and it can be used in a number of different…

Embedding Questions in Sentences

We embed questions in sentences all the time by making them subordinate to the main clause, e.g. “I…

Place of Action

JLPT N3. Formal. Typically used only in writing. における and において you the more formal versions での and…