3

What does the なのに mean in this sentence from Makino and Tsutsui's A Dictionary of Advanced Japanese Grammar:

アパートの家賃を払うのが精一杯なのに、まして(や)家を買うなんて夢物語だ

Dictionary of Advanced Japanese Grammar translation:

"I am just managing to pay the rent for my apartment; how much more of a dream it is to imagine buying my own house!"

This entry is teaching まして which I understand, I fathom that the なの is simply used for emphasis, and the に in its use as a sentence final to indicate sympathy or regret (Dictionary of Intermediate Japanese Grammar p. 234). Am I right in thinking this or is it something else?

Many thanks in advance :)

1 Answer 1

3

Maybe you're thinking too much. のに is a particle that is often translated into "while, with [some contrary condition]". Since it derives from nominalizer の, nouns and na-adjectives that come before it should put な (< copula だ) at the end.

An interesting fact about ましてや is that, the antecedent can be stated with both から and のに.

アパートの家賃を払うのが精一杯なのに、まして家を買うなんて夢物語だ

アパートの家賃を払うのが精一杯なのだから、まして家を買うなんて夢物語だ

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .