のに

のに means "even though": the second half is not what the first half should have led to, and you are surprised, disappointed or annoyed about it. It follows the plain form, and the plain form stays even when the sentence ends in です or ます.

A な-adjective or a noun takes な before のに, not だ. In the past it is だった: やすみ休みだったのに.

• × 日曜日だのに → 日曜日なのに

のに or けど

けど joins two facts that pull different ways. のに adds the speaker's feeling that the second one shouldn't be so. That makes のに wrong before a request, an invitation or a statement of what you will do, because those are not facts you can be surprised by. Use けど there.

• × 雨が降っているのに、出かけましょう → 雨が降っているけど、出かけましょう

Usage notes

These go beyond のに in the middle of a sentence.

Ending a sentence with のに

Leave off the second half and のに ends the sentence on a complaint or a regret. After ば or たら with いい or よかった, it wishes things were otherwise.

のに for a purpose

After the dictionary form, のに can also mean "for", "to": what something is good for, or what it takes. This のに carries no complaint.

The main clause is a judgement or a cost – べんり便利, やくにたつ役に立つ, ひつよう必要, かかる, つかう使う. For a goal you go out and act on, use ために.

• × 日本語を勉強するのに日本へ行きます → 日本語を勉強するために日本へ行きます