Despite: のに

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.

仕事しごとが残のこっているのにすぐに帰かえっちゃう。

Head straight home despite still having work left.

午前中ごぜんちゅうなのにお酒さけを飲のむ。

Drink despite it being morning.

安やすいのに質しつがいい。

Good quality despite being cheap.

やめると約束やくそくしたのにタバコを吸すうのを見みました。

I saw him smoking despite that he promised to quit.

私わたしはセールスマンなのにお客きゃくさんの前まえで話はなすのが嫌きらい。

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.

早はやく言いえばよかったのに（言いわなかった）。

You should have said sooner.