～にもかかわらず

§ What does ～にもかかわらず mean?

The Japanese conjunction ～にもかかわらず (ni mo kakawarazu) is a really useful phrase that means "despite," "nevertheless," or "in spite of." It’s used when something happens or is true, even though you might expect the opposite to be the case. Think of it as a way to express a contrast between two ideas or situations, where the second part of the sentence occurs contrary to the first part.

You'll often hear and read this phrase in many different contexts, from casual conversations to formal writing. It's a versatile expression that helps to add nuance to your Japanese sentences, allowing you to express unexpected outcomes or situations.

§ When to use ～にもかかわらず

You use ～にもかかわらず when you want to highlight a situation where something happened or is true, despite a hindering factor or an expectation. It introduces a contrasting element that might surprise the listener or reader. Here are some common scenarios:

• Unexpected Outcomes: When the result of an action or situation is different from what one might logically anticipate. For example, studying hard but still failing a test.
• Overcoming Obstacles: When someone achieves something or something happens even though there were difficulties or challenges. For example, succeeding despite a lack of experience.
• Contradictory Information: When two pieces of information seem to contradict each other, but both are true. For example, it being cold despite it being summer.

It's generally a more formal expression than other similar phrases like ～のに (noni), though it can be used in both formal and informal settings depending on the overall tone of the conversation. In academic papers, news reports, or formal speeches, ～にもかかわらず is very common.

§ Connecting ～にもかかわらず to different word types

Attaching ～にもかかわらず is straightforward, but it depends on the type of word it follows. Here's a quick guide:

Nouns

Noun + にもかかわらず

This is the most direct way. Just put ～にもかかわらず right after the noun.

He went to work despite his illness.

Verbs (Plain Form)

Verb (Plain form) + にもかかわらず

You use the plain form of the verb, whether it's present, past, negative, or positive.

Despite the rain, they continued playing soccer.

い-Adjectives

い-Adjective + にもかかわらず

Again, the plain form is used here.

Despite the book being expensive, it sold out quickly.

な-Adjectives

な-Adjective + である + にもかかわらず OR な-Adjective + な + にもかかわらず (less common but still used)

For な-adjectives, you usually connect them with である before ～にもかかわらず. The な form is also sometimes seen, especially in spoken Japanese, but the である form is safer and more common in written Japanese.

Despite being kind, he doesn't have many friends.

Mastering ～にもかかわらず will significantly improve your ability to express complex relationships between ideas in Japanese. Pay attention to how it's used in real-world examples, and try incorporating it into your own sentences.

§ Understanding 「～にもかかわらず」

The Japanese conjunction 「～にもかかわらず」 (ni mo kakawarazu) is a very useful phrase when you want to express a contrast between two statements. It means "despite," "nevertheless," or "in spite of." You use it when something happens or is true, even though a preceding condition or expectation would suggest otherwise. Think of it as introducing a surprising or unexpected outcome given the situation.

§ Basic Connections

「～にもかかわらず」 can connect to different parts of speech, making it versatile. Here are the common patterns:

• Nouns + にもかかわらず: When connecting to a noun, you simply attach 「にもかかわらず」 directly to the noun. This means "despite [noun]."
• Verb (plain form) + にもかかわらず: For verbs, use the plain form (present, past, negative) before 「にもかかわらず」. This translates to "despite [verb]-ing" or "even though [verb]ed."
• い-adjective (plain form) + にもかかわらず: Similar to verbs, use the plain form of the い-adjective. "Despite being [い-adjective]."
• な-adjective (stem) + にもかかわらず: For な-adjectives, remove the 「な」 and attach 「にもかかわらず」 directly. This means "despite being [な-adjective]."

§ Examples with Nouns

Let's look at how it works with nouns. It's straightforward: noun + にもかかわらず.

§ Examples with Verbs

When using verbs, remember to use the plain form. This applies to all tenses: present, past, and negative.

§ Examples with い-adjectives

For い-adjectives, just use their plain form.

§ Examples with な-adjectives

When using な-adjectives, remove the 「な」 and connect 「にもかかわらず」 directly.

Important Note

While 「～にもかかわらず」 can be used in many situations, it often implies a slight sense of regret or surprise about the outcome. It's a bit more formal than 「～のに」, so choose your words carefully depending on the context and your relationship with the person you are speaking to.

Mastering 「～にもかかわらず」 will greatly improve your ability to express complex ideas and nuances in Japanese. Practice these forms, and you'll be using it naturally in no time!

§ Don't Confuse with "Demo" or "Keredomo"

Many learners, especially at the intermediate level, often mix up ～にもかかわらず (nimo kakawarazu) with simpler conjunctions like でも (demo) or けれども (keredomo), both of which also mean "but" or "although." While there's some overlap in meaning, ～にもかかわらず carries a stronger sense of unexpectedness or contradiction against a given situation. It emphasizes that despite a certain condition, something still happened or is true.

For instance, if you say:

This means, "Despite it raining, he went out." The use of ～にもかかわらず highlights that going out in the rain is somewhat unexpected or goes against what one might normally do. If you used でも (demo) or けれども (keredomo) here, it would sound less emphatic on the unexpected nature of the action:

• 雨が降っていましたが、彼は外出しました。(Ame ga futte imashita ga, kare wa gaishutsu shimashita.) - "It was raining, but he went out." (A more neutral statement.)

§ Incorrect Noun/Verb Forms Before It

Another common error is incorrectly attaching ～にもかかわらず to nouns or verbs. Remember the correct conjugations:

Noun + にもかかわらず

Attach directly to the noun (or Noun + のにもかかわらず, though less common).
Example: 病気にもかかわらず (byouki nimo kakawarazu - despite being sick)

Verb (Plain Form) + にもかかわらず

Use the plain form of the verb (dictionary form, ない form, た form, かった form).
Example: 間に合わないにもかかわらず (maniawanai nimo kakawarazu - despite not making it on time)

い-Adjective + にもかかわらず

Attach directly to the い-adjective.
Example: 忙しいにもかかわらず (isogashii nimo kakawarazu - despite being busy)

な-Adjective + なにもかかわらず

Add な before ～にもかかわらず.
Example: 綺麗なにもかかわらず (kirei na nimo kakawarazu - despite being beautiful)

Making sure you use the correct form is crucial for natural-sounding Japanese. Pay close attention to these patterns when constructing your sentences.

§ Overusing It

While ～にもかかわらず is a useful expression, avoid overusing it. If the contradiction or unexpectedness is not particularly strong, other expressions like ～のに (noni) or just plain ～が (ga) or ～けれど (keredo) might be more appropriate and less formal.

For example, if you just want to say "I'm tired but I'll work," ～にもかかわらず might be a bit too strong:

• 疲れているにもかかわらず、仕事をする。(Tsukarete iru nimo kakawarazu, shigoto suru.) - While grammatically correct, it implies a very strong, perhaps heroic, effort despite being tired.
• 疲れているけど、仕事をする。(Tsukarete iru kedo, shigoto suru.) - "I'm tired, but I'll work." (More natural and common for this situation.)

The key is to understand the nuance and choose the most suitable conjunction for the context you're trying to convey. Practice with various examples to get a feel for when ～にもかかわらず truly fits best.