Meaning & Usage
にもかかわらず (ni mo kakawarazu) is a key concessive pattern at the N2 level. In English, its closest equivalents are "despite," "in spite of," or "nevertheless." When you use this pattern, you are expressing that the result in the second clause is surprising or contrary to what you would naturally expect given the situation in the first clause.
At its core, this pattern conveys contradiction or irony. Think of a friend who studied for months but still failed the exam — that gap between effort and outcome, between what should have happened and what actually did, is where にもかかわらず applies. The first clause sets up an expectation, and the second clause delivers an outcome that defies it entirely.
にもかかわらず is primarily a written and formal spoken expression. You will encounter it frequently in news reports, academic writing, business documents, formal speeches, and literary fiction. In everyday casual conversation, Japanese speakers typically prefer softer alternatives like のに or けれど. Using にもかかわらず correctly in formal contexts — such as job interviews, business meetings, or written reports — marks genuine fluency in formal Japanese.
Think of にもかかわらず as carrying the nuance of "despite all logic, despite what should have happened." The first clause presents something that should, logically or naturally, lead to a certain result — but the second clause shows reality going in a completely different direction. This sets it apart from simple contrast expressions like が or でも.
Etymologically, the expression comes from かかわる (to be related to, to involve, to be bound by). So にもかかわらず literally carries the feeling of "without being bound by / without being hindered by" the condition named. This classical root explains why it carries such a formal, literary weight in modern Japanese.
にもかかわらず attaches directly after nouns, verbs in plain form (dictionary or た-form), い-adjectives, and な-adjectives (using であるにもかかわらず or なのにもかかわらず). This broad compatibility means you can apply it across almost any clause type to express strong ironic contrast.
Structure & Formation
The pattern にもかかわらず attaches to the end of a noun, verb phrase, or adjective to express a concessive relationship. The overall sentence structure is always:
[Condition / Situation] + にもかかわらず + [Unexpected or Contrary Result]
How it connects to different word types:
| Word Type | Formation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | Noun + にもかかわらず | 雨にもかかわらず |
| Verb (dictionary form) | Verb (dict.) + にもかかわらず | 知っているにもかかわらず |
| Verb (た-form) | Verb (た) + にもかかわらず | 努力したにもかかわらず |
| い-adjective | い-adj + にもかかわらず | 寒いにもかかわらず |
| な-adjective | な-adj + であるにもかかわらず | 有名であるにもかかわらず |
| な-adjective (alt.) | な-adj + なのにもかかわらず | 静かなのにもかかわらず |
Note that the subject of the two clauses may be the same person or different people. The key requirement is always that the second clause contains a result that is unexpected or contrary to expectations created by the first clause. If the result is natural and expected, にもかかわらず is the wrong choice.
Example Sentences
Basic Noun Usage
雨にもかかわらず、試合は予定通り行われた。
Ame ni mo kakawarazu, shiai wa yoteidōri okonawareta.
Despite the rain, the match was held as scheduled.
病気にもかかわらず、彼は仕事を続けた。
Byōki ni mo kakawarazu, kare wa shigoto wo tsuzuketa.
Despite being sick, he continued working.
警告にもかかわらず、彼は危険な場所に入った。
Keikoku ni mo kakawarazu, kare wa kiken na basho ni haitta.
Despite the warning, he entered the dangerous place.
経済危機にもかかわらず、会社の業績は好調だった。
Keizai kiki ni mo kakawarazu, kaisha no gyōseki wa kōchō datta.
Despite the economic crisis, the company's performance was strong.
With Verb Clauses
努力したにもかかわらず、試験に落ちた。
Doryoku shita ni mo kakawarazu, shiken ni ochita.
Despite having worked hard, I failed the exam.
彼女が反対したにもかかわらず、計画は進められた。
Kanojo ga hantai shita ni mo kakawarazu, keikaku wa susumerareta.
Despite her opposition, the plan was pushed forward.
医者に止められたにもかかわらず、彼はお酒を飲み続けた。
Isha ni tomerareta ni mo kakawarazu, kare wa osake wo nomi tsuzuketa.
Despite being told to stop by his doctor, he continued drinking.
何度も注意したにもかかわらず、同じミスを繰り返した。
Nandomo chūi shita ni mo kakawarazu, onaji misu wo kurikaeshita.
Despite having been warned many times, he repeated the same mistake.
長年研究を続けたにもかかわらず、明確な結論は出なかった。
Naganen kenkyū wo tsuzuketa ni mo kakawarazu, meikaku na ketsuron wa denakatta.
Despite years of continued research, no clear conclusion was reached.
With Adjectives and Formal Contexts
寒いにもかかわらず、子供たちは外で遊んでいる。
Samui ni mo kakawarazu, kodomotachi wa soto de asondeiru.
Despite the cold weather, the children are playing outside.
予算が少ないにもかかわらず、プロジェクトは成功した。
Yosan ga sukunai ni mo kakawarazu, purojekuto wa seikō shita.
Despite the small budget, the project succeeded.
有名であるにもかかわらず、彼は非常に謙虚だ。
Yūmei de aru ni mo kakawarazu, kare wa hijō ni kenkyo da.
Despite being famous, he is extremely humble.
天気が悪いにもかかわらず、大勢の人が集まった。
Tenki ga warui ni mo kakawarazu, ōzei no hito ga atsumatta.
Despite the bad weather, a large crowd gathered.
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Using にもかかわらず When the Result Is Expected
❌ 雨が降ったにもかかわらず、地面が濡れた。
✅ 雨が降ったので、地面が濡れた。
The second clause must express an unexpected or ironic outcome. Getting wet because it rained is completely natural — there is no contrast or surprise. Using にもかかわらず here sounds strange and ungrammatical in context. Always ask yourself: "Is this result surprising given the first clause?" If the answer is no, do not use this pattern.
Mistake 2: Using the Wrong Form with な-Adjectives
❌ 静かにもかかわらず、集中できなかった。
✅ 静かであるにもかかわらず、集中できなかった。
A very common error is attaching にもかかわらず directly to the に-form (adverb form) of な-adjectives. Remember: な-adjectives must use the forms 〜である or 〜なの before にもかかわらず. Using 静かに here is a grammatical error. The pattern 静かなのにもかかわらず is also acceptable and slightly more conversational.
Mistake 3: Confusing にもかかわらず with くせに
❌ 先生にもかかわらず、漢字を間違えた。(Trying to criticize the teacher)
✅ 先生のくせに、漢字を間違えた。
にもかかわらず is completely neutral in tone — it simply states a factual contrast. If you want to express criticism or blame — implying that someone should know better or should have done otherwise — use くせに instead. Using にもかかわらず when you mean to criticize makes your sentence sound oddly detached and journalistic, as if you were reporting news rather than expressing feelings.
Mistake 4: Confusing にもかかわらず with にかかわらず
❌ 大雨にかかわらず、コンサートは行われた。(Intended: Despite the heavy rain)
✅ 大雨にもかかわらず、コンサートは行われた。
These two expressions look almost identical, but their meanings are different. にかかわらず means "regardless of" and is used to say that an outcome is the same no matter what condition A or B may be (e.g., 天気にかかわらず = regardless of what the weather is like). にもかかわらず means "despite" — a specific condition existed, yet a contrary result occurred. The も ("even") is the key: it adds the nuance of "even with this specific condition in place."
Mistake 5: Using にもかかわらず in Casual Conversation
❌ 疲れたにもかかわらず、ゲームした。(Too formal for casual chat)
✅ 疲れてたのに、ゲームしちゃった。
While にもかかわらず is grammatically correct in almost any sentence, dropping it into casual everyday conversation sounds extremely stiff and unnatural — like reading from a newspaper while chatting with friends. In informal settings, のに, けど, or でも feel far more natural. Reserve にもかかわらず for written essays, business reports, formal presentations, or broadcast news.
Cultural Notes
Japanese culture prizes perseverance and resilience, expressed in concepts like 頑張る (to do one's best) and 諦めない (to not give up). The grammar point にもかかわらず frequently appears in contexts that honor these values — praising someone who achieved something against the odds, or acknowledging a hardship that was endured without complaint.
In Japanese news reporting and formal writing, にもかかわらず is extremely common. You will hear it in political speeches (e.g., "despite the difficult economic climate, we have achieved progress"), in sports commentary (e.g., "despite the injury, the athlete performed magnificently"), and in business presentations (e.g., "despite fierce competition, our market share has grown"). Recognizing this pattern in authentic Japanese media sharpens N2 and above reading comprehension.
In Japanese communication, acknowledging difficulty before stating success reads as appropriately humble and self-aware. Using にもかかわらず signals that the speaker recognizes what stood in the way, making any achievement sound more earned. Acknowledging obstacles before results is a deeply embedded rhetorical style in formal Japanese discourse.
The formal, literary weight of にもかかわらず also makes it useful in written apologies and explanations in professional settings. Phrases like 多忙にもかかわらずご参加いただき、ありがとうございます (Thank you for attending despite your busy schedule) are extremely common in polite business Japanese and reflect both humility and awareness of the other person's effort.
JLPT Tips
On the JLPT N2 exam, にもかかわらず appears in sentence-completion questions, grammar selection questions, and reading comprehension passages.
Identification tip: In multiple-choice grammar questions, にもかかわらず is most likely correct when the situation involves an ironic or unexpected outcome — something that should not have happened given the circumstances in the first clause. Look for contrast clues: adversity followed by success, effort followed by failure, or a condition that logically should prevent an action but does not.
Eliminating wrong choices: The JLPT often places にもかかわらず alongside のに, にかかわらず, or ながらも as answer choices. The key differences: formality (にもかかわらず is formal, のに is casual), meaning (にかかわらず means "regardless of," not "despite"), and nuance (のに is emotional, にもかかわらず is neutral and factual).
Formation check in fill-in-the-blank questions: Pay close attention to what comes before the blank. If the blank follows a な-adjective, you will need であるにもかかわらず. If it follows a verb, you will typically see the た-form (completed action) or dictionary form. Errors in attachment form are a common trap in N2 grammar sections.
Reading comprehension strategy: In the N2 reading section, にもかかわらず signals that an ironic or surprising result is about to be stated. When you encounter this pattern in a long passage, it is often highlighting the main contrast or central argument of the paragraph. Understanding it correctly will help you answer questions about the author's point or the main idea of the text.
Active practice tip: Write your own sentences using real situations — studying despite exhaustion, pushing through a project despite setbacks, succeeding against the odds. Sentences tied to actual experience stick far better than drilled textbook examples.