JLPT N2
にもかかわらず
Despite / In spite of
Structure
Plain form にもかかわらず
How it works
This expression is used to indicate that something happened despite a certain situation or contrary to expectations. It is a formal expression, often found in writing or official news, and functions similarly to 'noni' but with a more serious tone. When following a noun or a na-adjective, 'de aru' can be added, but it is often used directly after the noun.
Examples
悪天候にもかかわらず、多くの人がイベントに来てくれた。
Despite the bad weather, many people came to the event.
彼は足の痛みにもかかわらず、最後まで走り抜いた。
In spite of the pain in his leg, he ran through to the end.
忙しいにもかかわらず、私の相談に乗ってくれた。
Despite being busy, they listened to my concerns/offered advice.
Common mistakes
Do not confuse this with 'ni kakawarazu' used for 'regardless of' (as in 'seibetsu ni kakawarazu' - regardless of gender), which has no 'mo' and expresses indifference to categories.
Tip
Think of it as the formal, polite version of 'noni'. If you can replace it with 'noni' and the meaning stays the same but feels less formal, you are using it correctly.
More JLPT N2 grammar
See にもかかわらず in real Japanese
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