# だろうに: (1) surely..., but ~; although... is likely, ~ (2) should have (regret); might / must have been ~ > Learn how to use だろうに, a JLPT N1 Japanese grammar point meaning surely... but ~ or should have (regret), with structure, nuance, examples, mistakes, and comparisons. JLPT level: N1 · Updated: 2026-05-18 · Canonical: https://hane-app.com/blog/n1-darou-ni/ **だろうに** means **(1) surely..., but ~; although... is likely, ~** and **(2) should have (regret); might / must have been ~**. It is a **JLPT N1** Japanese grammar pattern used to express a strong contrast between an expected situation and a less favorable reality, often tinged with regret or irony. This grammar point often appears in novels, essays, and the reading section of the JLPT N1. If you want to express that something would or should have been different, but wasn’t — or that you regret an outcome — **だろうに** is a pattern you will definitely encounter. ## What does だろうに mean? Use **だろうに** in two main situations: 1. **Contrast with conjecture**: “Surely X would be the case, but (in reality) Y.” The speaker assumes X is natural or expected, but the actual situation is different and usually disappointing. 2. **Regret about the past**: “I should have / would have …” Used with a past-tense statement (often a conditional like 〜ば or 〜たら). The speaker laments a missed opportunity or an unfulfilled condition. Natural translations include: - “surely … but …,” “although you would think …,” “it should have been that …,” “I wish (I) had …,” “could have …” The correct nuance depends on whether the speaker is talking about a present/future expectation or about something that already happened. ## How to form だろうに **Plain form of verbs, adjectives, and nouns + だろうに** - **Verbs**: 辞書(じしょ)形(けい) / た形(かたち) + だろうに → 行く(いく) + だろうに = 行く(いく)だろうに → 行っ(いっ)た + だろうに = 行っ(いっ)ただろうに - **い-adjectives**: い-adj (plain) + だろうに → 高い(たかい) + だろうに = 高い(たかい)だろうに - **な-adjectives**: な-adj + だろうに (the な is dropped before だろうに) → 静か(しずか) + だろうに = 静か(しずか)だろうに - **Nouns**: Noun + だろうに → 彼(かれ) + だろうに = 彼(かれ)だろうに The past form (Verbた形(かたち) + だろうに) is the most common way to express regret. The non-past form often appears in conditional sentences or when stating the speaker’s expectation about the way things “should” be.
💡 If you see ただろうに (like 言っ(いっ)てくれたらよかっただろうに), it’s a contraction of ただろう + に, not a separate grammar point. The pattern remains the same: Verb (た-form) + だろうに.
## When is だろうに used? Use **だろうに** in situations like: - expressing regret or disappointment about a missed opportunity - pointing out a gap between a logical expectation and reality - adding an emotional layer to an observation — often wistful, ironic, or pitying - storytelling and personal reflections, especially in written Japanese Tone and register: - slightly formal and literary; common in essays, novels, and heartfelt speech - the regretful nuance makes it feel personal rather than clinical ## だろうに example sentences
彼かれなら出来できるだろうに、なぜやらないんだろう。
Surely he could do it, but why doesn't he?
expectation vs reality present
もっと早はやく言いってくれたらよかっただろうに。
You should have told me earlier… (I wish you had.)
regret past
天気てんきが良よければ散歩さんぽに行いくところだろうに、こんな雨あめでは無理むりだ。
If the weather were nice, I’d probably go for a walk, but with this rain it’s impossible.
ironic contrast present
あの時とき、真面目まじめに勉強べんきょうしていれば合格ごうかくしただろうに。
If I had studied seriously back then, I would have passed… (but I didn’t).
regret past
金かねがあれば買かっただろうに、結局けっきょく諦あきらめた。
If I had the money I would have bought it, but in the end I gave up.
unfulfilled condition past
彼女かのじょが来くるはずだろうに、まだ姿すがたを見みせない。
She’s supposed to come, but she still hasn’t shown up.
expectation present
After reading each sentence, ask what job **だろうに** is doing: either contrasting an expected situation with reality, or expressing regret over something that didn’t happen. That makes the pattern easier to internalize than trying to memorize translations. ## Nuance of だろうに The key nuance is **emotional disappointment**. Unlike neutral contradiction markers, だろうに always adds a layer of feeling — pity, frustration, or wistfulness. When you say 彼(かれ)なら出来る(できる)だろうに, you are not simply stating “He can do it, but he isn’t.” You are implying that it’s a shame, that things should be different. In the past form (しただろうに), the nuance shifts to “it would have been better if …” and carries a clear sense of regret. This emotional weight is what makes だろうに appropriate for personal reflections and narratives. It’s less common in dry, factual reports because objectivity tends to strip away the very emotion the speaker wants to convey. ## だろうに vs のに Both **だろうに** and **のに** can express “but” or “although,” but they differ in conjecture and emotional depth.
だろうに
surely … but (should have)
When the speaker imagines a counterfactual scenario and emphasizes regret or irony. Often used with conditionals (ば, たら) and in past-tense regret.
もっと早く(はやく)言っ(いっ)てくれたらよかっただろうに。
You should have told me earlier. (regret)
のに
even though / despite the fact that
States a factual contrast without necessarily implying what “should have been.” More neutral. Common in everyday speech.
もっと早く(はやく)言っ(いっ)てくれたのに、聞い(きい)てくれなかった。
Even though (you) told me earlier, (they) didn't listen.

If you replace だろうに with のに in the first sentence, the regretful “should have” nuance vanishes. It becomes a plain report of “you told me earlier, but … no regret implied.” Choose だろうに when you want to convey that things didn’t turn out as they “should” have.

## Common mistakes with だろうに
❌
雨(あめ)が降っ(ふっ)ているだろうに、彼(かれ)は出かけ(でかけ)た。
✅
雨(あめ)が降っ(ふっ)ているのに、彼(かれ)は出かけ(でかけ)た。
Using だろうに for a straightforward factual contrast (“even though it’s raining”) sounds odd. Here, the speaker isn’t conjecturing about “it should be raining” — it *is* raining. Use のに instead.
❌
お金(かね)があれば買う(かう)だろうに。
(If the context is clearly past)
✅
お金(かね)があれば買っ(かっ)ただろうに。
If you’re talking about a past opportunity that you missed, use the past form 買っ(かっ)ただろうに. The present 買う(かう)だろうに would mean “I would probably buy it (now),” which carries a different nuance.
❌
彼(かれ)なら出来る(できる)だろうにね、すごいね。
✅
彼(かれ)なら出来る(できる)はずだよね、すごいね。
だろうに always implies an unexpressed “but.” If you simply want to say “he can surely do it” without a contrasting disappointment, use はず or plain だろう.
## Is だろうに on the JLPT?
N1

Yes. だろうに is JLPT N1 grammar. You can expect it in the reading section — often inside emotionally charged monologues or reflective passages.

What to expect on the test:

## Practice questions for だろうに
1
Write a sentence using 〜ば…ただろうに to express regret about a personal experience (real or imaginary).
regret
2
Think of a situation where someone’s behavior is unexpectedly negative. Use だろうに to contrast it with what you would have expected. (e.g., “Even though he’s usually kind, he shouted — you would think he’d be nicer…”)
contrast
3
Take the sentence 彼女(かのじょ)は謝ら(あやまら)なかった and rewrite it with だろうに so that it carries a tone of “she should have apologized.”
rephrasing
4
Compare だろうに and のに by creating one sentence with each that describes the same factual situation, then explain how the nuance changes.
comparison
## Learning path for だろうに To learn **だろうに** efficiently, start with the past regret form (the most common one), then move to present conjecture, and finally contrast it with similar patterns.
1
Internalize the past regret pattern: Verbた形(かたち) + だろうに. Write three sentences about missed opportunities using 〜ばよかっただろうに or 〜たらよかっただろうに.
2
Practice the present-conjecture usage: describe what you would expect of someone/something, then add an explicit けど/のに clause stating the disappointing reality. For example: 今日(きょう)は休み(やすみ)だろうに、会社(かいしゃ)に行っ(いっ)た。
3
Compare with のに. Take a sentence using のに from a textbook or article and rewrite it as a regretful だろうに sentence by adding a conditional. Notice how the emotional weight shifts.
4
Read an opinion essay or a short story and highlight every だろうに you find. Ask yourself: does this express regret, an irony, or a dashed expectation? This active noticing will solidify the nuance.
## Related grammar to review next - [であれ〜であれ](/blog/n1-de-are-de-are/) — presents alternative possibilities, much like だろうに sets up an expected scenario. - [だの〜だの](/blog/n1-dano-dano/) — lists examples, which can appear in sentences with contrastive patterns. - [であれ〜であろうと](/blog/n1-de-are-de-arou-to/) — “even if it is …”, another N1 pattern useful for hypothetical contrasts. - [だに〜しない](/blog/n1-dani-dani-shinai/) — an emphatic negative used with similar literary tone; good to study alongside emotionally charged patterns. ## Learn だろうに with Hane If you want to review **だろうに** together with the related patterns above, Hane helps you practice Japanese in short, focused sessions. Browse more lessons here: - [All grammar lessons](/blog/) - [JLPT N1 grammar lessons](/blog/n1/)