Even Though | ～のに

Even Though with のに

のに means "even though" or "despite." You use it when the result is the opposite of what you'd expect, and you're a bit surprised or annoyed about it. Our lesson on conjunctions covers のに alongside other connecting patterns like から and ので.

How to Connect

Verbs and い-Adjectives

Plain form + のに:

• 勉強(べんきょう)したのに (even though I studied)
• 高(たか)いのに (even though it's expensive)

な-Adjectives and Nouns

Add な before のに:

• 好(す)きなのに (even though I like it)
• 学生(がくせい)なのに (even though I'm a student)

のに vs ても

Both involve contrast, but the nuance is different:

• のに: the result is real and the speaker is surprised or frustrated by it
• ても: the result is hypothetical ("even if this happened, that would still be true")

Example Sentences

いっぱい勉強(べんきょう)したのに試験(しけん)に落(お)ちた。
Even though I studied a lot, I failed the exam.

父(ちち)は背(せ)が高(たか)いのに僕(ぼく)は低(ひく)い。
Even though my father is tall, I'm short.

おいしいのにお腹(なか)が一杯(いっぱい)で食(た)べられない。
Even though it's delicious, I can't eat it because I'm full.

長野(ながの)に雪(ゆき)がないのに、スキーに行(い)く。
Even though there's no snow in Nagano, he's going skiing.