“〜hazu nanoni” vs “〜hazu ga nai”: Two Opposite-Direction “hazu” [JLPT N3]

Content by NTJ Kuma · Nihongo to Japan editorial team · Updated July 27, 2026

「晴れるはずなのに曇ってきた」／「来るはずがない」 — expectation betrayed vs possibility ruled out.

「はずなのに」 vs 「はずがない」 — the same 「はず」, opposite directions

「合格しているはずなのに、なぜか喜べない」 (I should have passed, yet somehow I can't feel glad) — 「はず」 expresses “inference by common sense,” but with different endings the direction flips: 〜はずなのに = “by rights it should be ~, yet reality isn't” (a gap, adversative); 〜はずがない = “there's no way ~” (strongly denying possibility). This guide focuses on 「はずなのに」's gap feel and separates it from 「はずがない／はずだ／わけがない」. 〈はずがない〉 has its own guide.

Core: the same 「はず」, opposite directions with different endings

「はず」 = inferring by common sense “should…”. With different endings:

• 〜はずなのに = by rights it should be ~, yet reality isn't (a gap, with confusion/disappointment, adversative): 晴れるはずなのに、曇ってきた (it should clear up, yet it's clouding over).
• 〜はずがない = there's no way ~ (strongly denying possibility): 彼が来ないはずがない (there's no way he won't come).

Difference: はずなのに is the gap of “should, yet isn't”; はずがない is the denial of “absolutely can't be.”

Attachment / Direction Contrast

Example sentences

• 合格しているはずなのに、なぜか喜べない。(I should have passed, yet can't feel glad.) — a gap
• 今日は晴れるはずなのに、曇ってきた。(It should be sunny today, yet it's clouding over.) — mismatch
• 彼は知っているはずなのに、何も言わない。(He should know, yet says nothing.) — confusion
• お金は十分あるはずなのに、いつも足りないと言う。(There should be enough money, yet they always say it's short.) — contradiction
• ここにあったはずなのに、見つからない。(It should have been here, yet I can't find it.) — a gap

⚠️ Where learners slip up

① 「はずなのに」 and 「はずがない」 point in opposite directions — don't confuse them. はずなのに = should ~, yet isn't (a gap, adversative, with confusion) (来るはずなのに来ない = should come, yet doesn't); はずがない = there's no way ~ (strong denial) (来るはずがない = no way it'll come). One is “should, yet doesn't (a gap),” the other “absolutely can't be (denial)” — very different.

② 「はずなのに」 is adversative (a turn). It = 「はず (should) ＋ なのに (yet)」, with “by rights it should…” first, then a reality contrary to expectation (confusion, disappointment, surprise). So the second clause is always a fact “contrary to ‘should'”: 勝てるはずなのに負けた (should have been able to win, yet lost).

③ Attachment: noun ＋ の, na-adj ＋ な. 学生のはずなのに, verb/i-adj plain form ＋ はずなのに (知っているはずなのに, 忙しいはずなのに). The attachment before 「はず」 is the same as ordinary はず (noun の・na-adj な・verb/i-adj plain form).

🔄 Nuance & comparison: はずなのに／はずがない／はずだ／わけがない

💡 Quick takeaway

The same 「はず」 flips direction with different endings — the easiest thing to confuse: ① 〜はずなのに = “by rights it should be ~, yet reality isn't” (a gap, adversative, with confusion/disappointment: 晴れるはずなのに曇ってきた = should clear up, yet clouds over); ② 〜はずがない = “there's no way ~” (strongly denying possibility: そんなはずがない = there's no way that's so). Remember: はず＋なのに = should, yet isn't (a gap); はず＋がない = absolutely can't be (denial) — one a turn, one a denial. 「はずなのに」 is always followed by a fact “contrary to ‘should,'” with a “huh, how come” confusion. For a flat “no way,” use 「はずがない」 (see its own guide).

❓ FAQ

Q: How do I tell 「はずなのに」 from 「はずがない」? (both have はず)

Opposite directions! 「はずなのに」 = by rights it should be ~, yet reality isn't (a gap, adversative, with confusion/disappointment): 彼は来るはずなのに、まだ来ない (he should come, yet still hasn't — the gap of should-but-hasn't), 勉強したはずなのに、テストができなかった (I should have studied enough, yet couldn't do the test — defies expectation). It has “by rights it should…” first, then a contrary reality. 「はずがない」 = there's no way ~ (strongly denying possibility): 彼が嘘をつくはずがない (there's no way he'd lie — flat denial), そんな簡単なはずがない (no way it's that easy). It's the denial “absolutely won't, can't be.” So: “should, yet isn't (gap, turn)” → はずなのに; “there's no way (denial)” → はずがない. One carries “how can this be” confusion, the other a flat “absolutely not” — opposite directions; don't attach the wrong ending.

Q: How does 「はずなのに」 attach?

Same as ordinary 「はず」, by word type: ① noun ＋ の ＋ はずなのに: 学生のはずなのに、勉強しない (should be a student, yet doesn't study). ② na-adjective ＋ な ＋ はずなのに: 簡単なはずなのに、できない (should be simple, yet I can't do it). ③ verb・i-adjective ＋ plain form ＋ はずなのに: 知っているはずなのに、黙っている (should know, yet stays silent), 忙しいはずなのに、いつも暇そうだ (should be busy, yet always looks free). Mnemonic: noun adds の, na-adj adds な, verb/i-adj attaches directly (plain form) ＋ はずなのに — the attachment is exactly like 「はずだ」, just with the ending swapped to 「なのに (yet)」 for the gap.

🖊️ Practice Quiz

Q1. 「合格している___なのに、喜べない。」(should have passed, yet) Which is correct?

(A) はず　(B) らしい　(C) みたい　(D) そう

Q2. 「今日は晴れる___、曇ってきた。」(it should clear up today, yet it's clouding over) Which is correct?

(A) はずがない　(B) はずなのに　(C) わけがない　(D) ものなのに

Q3. 「彼が来る___。約束を破る人じゃない。」(there's no way he won't come) Which expresses ‘absolutely impossible'?

(A) はずなのに　(B) はずがない　(C) はずだ　(D) はずだった

Q4. 「彼は知っている___なのに、何も言わない。」(verb ＋ はず) Fill the blank (verb).

(A) の　(B) (directly)　(C) な　(D) だ

Q5. What's the directional difference between 「はずなのに」 and 「はずがない」?

(A) the same

(B) はずなのに = should …, yet isn't (confusion/disappointment); はずがない = there's no way at all

(C) はずがない = should; はずなのに = no way

(D) both express a command

Answer Key

1. (A) はず ── 合格しているはずなのに = should have passed, yet … (a gap between expectation and reality).

2. (B) はずなのに ── 晴れるはずなのに曇ってきた = should clear up, yet clouds over (expectation falls through); ✗ はずがない (that's ‘no way').

3. (B) はずがない ── 来るはずがない... actually here it's ‘there's no way he won't come' = 来ないはずがない / 来るはずだ; the option marking ‘absolutely impossible' is はずがない (denying a possibility).

4. (B) (directly) ── a verb plain form attaches to はず directly: 知っているはず (✗ 知っているのはず).

5. (B) ── はずなのに = should …, yet isn't (a gap, with confusion/disappointment); はずがない = there's no way at all.