〜くせに: 'Even Though' (with Criticism/Blame)
The link it makes: contrast, with a barb
〜くせに joins two clauses that clash — "even though X, Y" — exactly like のに. What sets it apart is the attitude riding on the contrast: くせに is never neutral. It always says, in effect, "you have no business being like Y, given X," dripping with blame, contempt, or annoyance.
ヤッタンは答えを知っているくせに、教えてくれない。
ヤッタンは こたえを しっている くせに、おしえて くれない。
Yattan won't tell me, even though he knows the answer.
The speaker is clearly annoyed at Yattan.
The contrast isn't just noted — it's held against the subject. That criticism is the whole point of reaching for くせに over a plainer concessive.
Tone and register: judgmental, casual, and how it differs from のに
Because the barb is built in, くせに lives in casual speech — you use it with friends, family, or to grumble, not in polite or formal situations. This is also the contrast that matters most at N3, since のに covers the same "even though" ground without the attitude:
- 〜のに is neutral and objective — it expresses surprise or disappointment about anything, and the two clauses can have different subjects: 雨が降っているのに、出かけた ("Even though it's raining, I went out").
- 〜くせに is subjective and judgmental — it loads the sentence with criticism, scorn, or blame, and the clauses must share the same subject (the person you're knocking).
So 知っているのに教えてくれない is a plain statement of "he knows yet won't tell." Swap in くせに and you fill it with resentment: "he knows, the jerk, and still won't tell." When the surprising thing is just a fact (weather, a situation), only のに works — see 〜のに.
What it attaches to — and who it can point at
Attach くせに to the plain form of the word before it. Watch the joining particle for nouns and な-adjectives:
| Word type | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb | plain form + くせに | 知っているくせに (even though he knows) |
| い-adjective | plain form + くせに | 弱いくせに (even though he's weak) |
| な-adjective | 〜な + くせに | 下手なくせに (even though he's bad at it) |
| Noun | 〜の + くせに | 子供のくせに (even though he's a kid) |
弟は子供のくせに、生意気なことを言う。
おとうとは こどもの くせに、なまいきな ことを いう。
My little brother is so cheeky for a kid.
子供のくせに = 'even though (he's only) a kid' — scornful.
モチは下手なくせに、いつも自信たっぷりだ。
モチは へたな くせに、いつも じしん たっぷりだ。
Mochi is full of confidence, even though he's bad at it.
下手な → な-adjective takes な before くせに.
Beyond the form, くせに carries one hard restriction: both clauses must describe the same subject — the person being criticized. 知っているくせに教えてくれない works because he both knows and refuses to tell. You cannot use くせに to link two different people's actions.
You can also drop the second clause entirely and end a sentence on くせに, leaving the criticism hanging — very common when grumbling:
本当は行きたいくせに。
ほんとうは いきたい くせに。
(You say no, but) you actually want to go.
〜くせに。 alone implies 'and yet you pretend otherwise' — teasing or accusatory.
くせに in use
先生のくせに、そんな簡単な漢字も読めないの？
せんせいの くせに、そんな かんたんな かんじも よめないの？
You can't even read such an easy kanji, and you call yourself a teacher?
先生のくせに — biting reproach at someone who should know better.
自分が悪いくせに、ヤッタンは謝らない。
じぶんが わるい くせに、ヤッタンは あやまらない。
Yattan won't apologize, even though it's his own fault.
Watch-outs
- Using くせに for yourself. くせに criticizes someone, so turning it on yourself sounds odd. Say 知っているのに言えなかった ("even though I knew, I couldn't say it"), not 知っているくせに for your own actions.
- Using くせに for a neutral fact. "Even though it's raining, I went out" is about weather, not a person to blame — use のに: 雨が降っているのに出かけた. くせに here is wrong.
- Two different subjects. くせに needs one shared subject. ヤッタンは勉強したくせに、モチは遊んだ (two people) is wrong — use のに, or restructure.
- Wrong joining particle. It's noun + のくせに and な-adjective + なくせに — 子供のくせに (✓), not 子供くせに; 下手なくせに (✓), not 下手くせに.
The short version
- 〜くせに = "even though," but always critical — blame, scorn, or annoyance.
- Attach to plain forms; noun + のくせに, な-adj + なくせに.
- Both clauses share the same subject (the person criticized).
- vs のに: のに is neutral and any-subject; くせに is harsh and same-subject.
- It's casual, and can stand alone at sentence end: 〜くせに。
Practice it
Choose くせに or のに and the correct joining particle.
＿＿＿に入れるのに最もよいものを選びなさい。
＿＿＿、知っているふりをする。
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between くせに and のに?
Both mean 'even though,' but のに is neutral surprise or disappointment and works for any subject, while くせに always adds criticism or scorn and requires both clauses to share the same subject (the person being blamed).
Can I use くせに about myself?
Normally no. Because くせに criticizes the subject, using it for your own actions sounds strange. Use のに instead: 知っているのに言えなかった ('even though I knew, I couldn't say it').
How does くせに attach to nouns and な-adjectives?
Noun + の + くせに (子供のくせに) and な-adjective + な + くせに (下手なくせに). Verbs and い-adjectives just take the plain form: 知っているくせに, 弱いくせに.
Can くせに end a sentence?
Yes. 本当は行きたいくせに。 ('You actually want to go, though') leaves the criticism hanging — a common, teasing or accusatory way to grumble in casual speech.
Where 〜くせに fits
Shaky on this? Get these solid first
- 〜のに · N4 — This 〜のに attaches to a dictionary-form verb to mean 'for doing X' or 'in order to X', setting up a comment about time, cost, or usefulness — 行くのに1週間かかった (it took a week to go). Not the same のに as 'even though'.
Don't confuse it with
- 〜ものだ · N3 — 〜ものだ states general truths and common-sense advice, recalls how things used to be (〜たものだ), and voices strong feeling. Learn all four N3 uses and 〜ものではない.
More N3 grammar to explore
Keep going with related patterns at the same level:
- めったに〜ない — めったに〜ない means 'rarely' or 'hardly ever.' Learn why it always pairs with a negative verb, how it compares to あまり〜ない, ほとんど〜ない, and 全然〜ない, plus examples.
- 〜向け vs 〜向き — 〜向け = made/intended for a target audience (子供向けの番組). 〜向き = suited to by nature, or facing a direction (初心者向き, 南向き). Learn the contrast and avoid mixing them up.
- 〜ないことはない — 〜ないことはない is a double negative that softly affirms: 'it's not that I can't / it's possible, I suppose.' Learn the formation, the nuance, and how it differs from 〜ことはない.
- 〜に違いない — 〜に違いない means 'must be' or 'I'm sure' — a strong, evidence-based conclusion. Learn the formation, the certainty ladder vs かもしれない・でしょう・はず, and common mistakes.
- 〜によると — 〜によると (= 〜によれば) cites the source of reported information: 天気予報によると…. Learn the form, why it pairs with そうだ/らしい, and によると vs によって.