758 - と~(のに)

JLPT N3: と~(のに)《if only

Perhaps you recall this lesson: [NDL #737] - JLPT N3: ~ば...(のに) ...in which we saw sentences like this:


家を出るのがあと3分早けれ間に合ったんだけれど
いえ を でる の が あと さんぷん はやければ まにあった んだ けれど。
If I had left the house three minutes earlier, I would have made it in time.
Literally: “house + を + go out + の + が + more + three minutes + if it were early + made it in time + んだ + but.”

...where Phrase 1 is something that didn't happen:

家を出るのがあと3分早けれ
いえ を でる の が あと さんぷん はやければ
If I had left the house three minutes earlier
Literally: “house + を + go out + の + が + more + three minutes + if it were early”

...and Phrase 2 is something that would have resulted had Phrase 1 happened:

間に合ったんだけれど
まにあった んだ けれど。
I would have made it in time.
Literally: “made it in time + んだ + but.”

In other words, it was a lesson about using the ~ば conditional form to express regret or disappointment that something did not occur.

This is also possible using the conditional form, which is what we're exploring in this lesson.


For example, you could say:


自分の部屋がある集中して勉強できるんだけれど
じぶん の へや が ある と しゅうちゅう して べんきょう できる んだ けれど。
If I had my own room, I’d be able to concentrate on my studies.
Literally: “oneself + の + room + が + there is / have + と + concentration / focus + do (and) + studying + can do + んだ + but.”


Phrase 1 is something that didn't happen or is not true:

自分の部屋がある
じぶん の へや が ある と
If I had my own room
Literally: “oneself + の + room + が + there is / have + と”

Phrase 2 is the hypothetical — but, unfortunately, not real — result had Phrase 1 been true:

集中して勉強できるんだけれど
しゅうちゅう して べんきょう できる んだ けれど。
I’d be able to concentrate on my studies.
Literally: “concentration / focus + do (and) + studying + can do + んだ + but.”

We have a particle-combo meaning something like "but" or "although" at the end in order to express our regret. Here we're using けれど, but you'll also commonly see things like のにけど、etc.


We're going to cover this in an upcoming N3 lesson, but we could also use the ~たら conditional form in the above sentence, and the meaning would be pretty much the same (though it has a bit more of a conversational ring to it):


自分の部屋があったら集中して勉強できるんだけれど
じぶん の へや が あったら しゅうちゅう して べんきょう できる んだ けれど。
If I had my own room, I’d be able to concentrate on my studies.
Literally: “oneself + の + room + が + if there was / if (I) had + concentration / focus + do (and) + studying + can do + んだ + but.”


But, yeah, more on that in an upcoming lesson.

For now, let's focus on と!


👷 Construction 👷

Put a word in the present tense of the plain form before . That's it:

Present-Tense Plain-Form Word + (...のに・けど・etc.)


Another example:


美沙ちゃんも同窓会に来られるよかったのに
みさちゃん も どうそうかい に こられる と よかった のに。
If only Misa-chan could have come to the reunion, too.
Literally: “Misa-chan + も + reunion (e.g. class reunion) + に + can come + と + was good + のに.”
Note: This could be a formal "reunion," or it might just be an informal get-together of old friends after several years apart.


And another:


高橋先生は、もっと優しく教えてくれるいいのに....。
たかはし せんせい は、 もっと やさしく おしえて くれる と いい のに...。
I wish Takahashi-sensei would be nicer when he taught.
Literally: “Takahashi-sensei + は, + more + kindly + teach (and) + give (us) + と + good + のに...”


You're on a roll now:


部活のない日私も行けたんだけど
ぶかつ の ない ひ だ と わたし も いけた んだ けど。
I could have gone if it had been on a day that I didn't have practice [a club meeting].
Literally: “club activities + の + there isn't / don’t have+ day + だ + と + I + も + was able to go + んだ + but.”
Note: "Club activities" can range from volleyball practice, to band practice, to photography club meetings — all sorts of things.


You're... finished?

Nice.

See you in the next lesson.

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