At a glance
～のに means "even though" or "despite". It shows that the result is different from what you expected, often with surprise or dissatisfaction. With a verb in dictionary form, のに can also mean "for (doing)" or "in order to".
[Verb / い-adj plain form] のに、[unexpected result]
[Noun / な-adj] なのに、[unexpected result]
[Verb dictionary form] のに + 使う / いい / かかる
薬を飲んだのに、熱が下がりません。 Even though I took medicine, my fever won't go down.
How to form it
Contrast ("even though"): のに goes at the end of the first clause. Use the plain form before のに. Nouns and な-adjectives take な.
| Before のに | Present | Past |
|---|---|---|
| Verb | 行くのに / 行かないのに | 行ったのに |
| い-adjective | 安いのに | 安かったのに |
| な-adjective | 静かなのに | 静かだったのに |
| Noun | 学生なのに | 学生だったのに |
Purpose ("for doing"): use the verb dictionary form + のに.
| Use | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | 駅まで行くのに一時間かかります。 | It takes an hour to get to the station. |
Both uses work in polite and casual speech. Politeness is shown at the end of the sentence (です/ます).