Episode 223 - "wari ni" (Considering ~ / For ~ / Despite ~ / Although ~ / In comparison to ~)

Masa (0:01)

Konnichiwa, welcome to Learn Japanese with Masa sensei. This is episode 223 Today in this episode, we will learn about warini, which means considering for, despite, although, in comparison to. Now let's go.

Now plus no, plus warini. Verb, plain form plus warini. i-adjective plus warini. na-adjective plus na-warini. This means considering for, despite, although, in comparison to.

So, for example, for a child, will be kodomo no warini, kodomo no warini. Despite being cheap, will be yasui warini, yasui warini.

Although someone eats a lot, will be yokutaberu warini, yokutaberu warini.

This is used when the actual result is different from what people would normally expect. Warini is used when the result is surprising or different from what would normally be expected. It compares expectation and reality. In English, it often corresponds to considering, for, despite, although, in comparison to.

There are three core usages. The first one is better than expected. The second one is worse than expected. The third one is unexpected characteristics. Now, let's start with the first core usage. Better than expected. This is used when the result is better than people would normally expect. For example, this restaurant is delicious, despite being cheap. So, despite being cheap is yasui wari ni, yasui wari ni. Kono resturant wa yasui wari ni oishii. Kono resturant wa yasui wari ni oishii. So, this is the same as, yasui node amari kitai shite inakatta ga oishii. Because it's cheap, I was not expecting, but it's delicious. Another example. He is mature for his age. So, in this case, it means he is young, but he is mature. Young is wakai, wakai. So, after this, we will put wari ni. Wakai wari ni. Mature is otona poi, otona poi. Kare wa wakai wari ni otona poi. Kare wa wakai wari ni otona poi. Let's go to the second usage. Worse than expected. This is used when the result is worse than expected. For example, He studied a lot, but his grades are not very good. He studied a lot is Kare wa yoku benkyō suru. After this, we will put wari ni. Grade is seiseki. Not very good is Amari yokunai. Kare wa yoku benkyō suru wari ni seiseki ga amari yokunai. Kare wa yoku benkyō suru wari ni seiseki ga amari yokunai. The quality was ordinary despite the high price. High price is nedan ga takai. Nedan ga takai. After this, we will put wari ni. Quality is hinshitsu. Hinshitsu. Ordinary, normal is futsu. Futsu. Nedan ga takai wari ni hinshitsu wa futsu datta. Nedan ga takai wari ni hinshitsu wa futsu datta. The third usage. Unexpected characteristics. This is used when someone's appearance, age, experience or situation does not match what people normally expect. For example, She is good for a beginner. Beginner is, Shoshinsha. Shoshinsha. This is a noun, so we will put, no wari ni. Kanojo wa shoshinsha no wari ni jouzu da. Kanojo wa shoshinsha no wari ni jouzu da. It's warm for winter today. Winter is, Fuyu. Fuyu. This is a noun, so we will put together with, no wari ni.

Warm is, atatakai. Atatakai. Kyou wa Fuyu no wari ni atatakai. Kyou wa Fuyu no wari ni atatakai. So, wari ni is used when, reality is different from expectation. The speaker feels something is surprising. Comparing what is expected with what actually happened. Previously, we have also learned no ni, which also has a similar meaning. What is the difference between wari ni and no ni?

So for example, if I say, Yasui wari ni oishii. Yasui wari ni oishii. This means, it is delicious despite being cheap.

However, if I say, Yasui no ni oishii. Yasui no ni oishii. This means, it is delicious even though it is cheap. So wari ni compares expectation and reality, and it sounds more objective. No ni expresses stronger surprise, disappointment, or emotion. So the key point is, wari ni compares expectation with reality. It often expresses surprise, and it means considering or despite.

Now let's make some example sentences.

This smartphone performs well, despite being inexpensive. Inexpensive is yasui, yasui. So put together with wari ni. yasui wari ni. Performance or function is seino, seino.

Kono sumaho wa yasui wari ni seino ga ii. Kono sumaho wa yasui wari ni seino ga ii. He has a lot of experience for someone so young. Young is wakai, wakai. Put together with wari ni.

Experience is keiken, keiken. To have a lot of experience is keiken ga houfu, keiken ga houfu. Kare wa wakai wari ni keiken ga houfuda. Kare wa wakai wari ni keiken ga houfuda.

It's warm for winter today. Winter is fuyu, fuyu. This is a noun, so we will put together with no wari ni. Kyou wa fuyu no wari ni atatakai. Kyou wa fuyu no wari ni atatakai.