“〜hazu nanoni / 〜hazu datta noni”: Should Have, Yet… [JLPT N4]

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

「来るはずなのに、まだ来ない」「約束したはずだったのに」 — you were sure it would be so, and it isn't.

「来るはずなのに、まだ来ない」 — the letdown of “should ~, yet ~”

「彼は来るはずなのに、まだ来ない」 (he should be coming, yet he's not here) — 「〜はずなのに／〜はずだったのに」 expresses the surprise, puzzlement, or dissatisfaction of “by some grounds it should be so, yet it fell through.” It's 「はず (should)」 plus 「のに (even though)」, dedicated to expectation not matching reality. 「はずなのに」 is present, 「はずだったのに」 is past. This guide covers this “letdown” pattern and separates it from plain 「はず」.

Core: grounded expectation + letdown

• 〜はずなのに = even though (it should be) ~, yet ~ (a present expectation dashed): ここにあったはずなのに、ない (it should be here, yet it's gone).
• 〜はずだったのに = it was supposed to ~, yet ~ (a past expectation dashed): 合格するはずだったのに、落ちた (I was supposed to pass, yet I failed).

Feel: surprise, puzzlement, regret — “it shouldn't be this way.”

How to Connect

Example sentences

• 彼は来るはずなのに、まだ来ない。(He should be coming, yet he's not here.) — present letdown
• 試験に合格できるはずなのに、不安だ。(I should be able to pass, yet I'm anxious.) — psychological gap
• 約束したはずなのに、彼は覚えていない。(We had a promise, yet he doesn't remember.) — dissatisfaction
• この店は静かなはずなのに、今日は騒がしい。(This place should be quiet, yet today it's noisy.) — na-adjective
• 優勝するはずだったのに、怪我で棄権した。(I was supposed to win, yet I withdrew injured.) — past letdown

⚠️ Easy traps to avoid

① Attachment: noun ＋ の ＋ はず, na-adj ＋ な ＋ はず. 休みのはずなのに (✗ 休みはず), 静かなはずなのに (✗ 静かはず).

② はずなのに (present) vs はずだったのに (past). 「来るはずなのに」 = (now) should be coming yet isn't; 「来るはずだったのに」 = (back then) was supposed to come yet didn't. Is the expectation “still holding now” or “a past plan”?

③ It carries surprise/dissatisfaction/regret. It's not a plain statement but an “it shouldn't be like this” gap. For a plain “should ~” (no letdown), use bare 「はずだ」.

🔄 Compare: はずなのに／はずだ／のに

💡 Learning tip

The soul of 「はずなのに／はずだったのに」 is the gap — you had grounds to expect something, but reality contradicts it. It's はず (should) ＋ のに (even though), always with surprise/puzzlement/regret (来るはずなのに来ない = odd, they were supposed to come). Mind the tense: はずなのに for a present letdown, はずだったのに for a past one (合格するはずだったのに落ちた). For a plain “should ~” with no letdown, use bare 「はずだ」.

❓ FAQ

Q: 「はずなのに」 vs 「はずだ」?

「はずだ」 is a plain inference “(with grounds) should ~” (電車は6時に着くはずだ = should arrive at 6, no letdown); 「はずなのに」 is an inference dashed “should ~ yet ~” (6時に着くはずなのに、まだ来ない = should arrive at 6 yet hasn't, with surprise/dissatisfaction). Adding 「のに」 adds the “doesn't match reality” gap.

Q: 「はずなのに」 vs 「はずだったのに」?

By whether the expectation is present or past: 「来るはずなのに」 = (now) it should come (still expected, yet dashed); 「来るはずだったのに」 = (back then) it was supposed to come (a past plan that didn't happen). Present letdown → はずなのに, a past plan fallen through → はずだったのに.

🖊️ Practice Quiz

Q1. 「試験に合格できる___なのに、なぜか自信がない。」(should be able to pass) Which is correct?

(A) はず　(B) べき　(C) よう　(D) そう

Q2. 「彼は学生___はずなのに、まるで先生のようだ。」(noun ＋ はず) Fill the blank.

(A) な　(B) の　(C) だ　(D) と

Q3. 「このボタンを押せば開く___、開かない。」(should open) Which is correct?

(A) ようなのに　(B) はずなのに　(C) そうなのに　(D) べきなのに

Q4. 「約束した___なのに、彼は来なかった。」(we'd agreed — past expectation fell through) Which is correct?

(A) はず　(B) はずだった　(C) べき　(D) そう

Q5. 「この店は静か___はずなのに、今日はうるさい。」(な-adjective 静か ＋ はず) Fill the blank.

(A) の　(B) だ　(C) な　(D) で

Answer Key

1. (A) はず ── はずなのに = should …, yet (expectation falls through). (B) べき = obligation; (C)(D) don't fit.

2. (B) の ── a noun ＋ の ＋ はず: 学生のはず (✗ 学生はず).

3. (B) はずなのに ── a verb plain form ＋ はずなのに: 開くはずなのに = should open, yet doesn't.

4. (B) はずだった ── 「はずだったのに」 = should have …, yet (past expectation): 約束したはずだったのに.

5. (C) な ── a な-adjective ＋ な ＋ はず: 静かなはず (✗ 静かだはず).