Today’s belated Japanese lesson is 「～のに」 ( _ no ni)!

Although JP-EN dictionaries define it as “although”, “even so”, “in spite of”, and “despite”, the phrase doesn’t really have an English equivalent (see examples below).  More than having a literal meaning, it gives a sentence a disappointed “so why (did this happen)?!” kind of feeling.

Usage:
(1)  ___A___のに、___B___.
Despite __A__, ___B___.

(2, whiny)  ___A___のに!
But __A__!!  ;A;

Examples:
(1)  あんなに勉強したのに、どうして不合格なのだろう.
anna ni benkyou shita NO NI, doushite fugoukaku na no darou?
I studied that hard, so why did I fail?

(2)  行くなと言ったのに、彼は出かけていった。
iku na to itta NO NI, kare wa dekaketeitta.
I told him not to go, but he went out anyway.

(3)  どうして食べないの。せっかく作ったのに。
doushite tabenai no?  sekkaku tsukutta NO NI…
Why don’t you eat it?  Even though I went through all the trouble of making it…

(4)  楽しみにしていたのに。 
tanoshimi ni shiteita NO NI…
And I was looking so forward to it…