Japanese with Manga
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Wasted effort with せっかく〜のに

Grammar: Unsorted » せっかく〜のに

せっかく and のに are used together when great effort has been put into something, yet that effort may be going to waste.

Usage

The situation reflecting the effort appears between せっかく and のに.

Further Reading

Examples

The trouble of forgetting about today with せっかく〜のに

Manga panel from ご注文はうさぎですか？ showing example of Wasted effort with せっかく〜のに.
ご注文はうさぎですか？ » Volume 1 » Page 99

After Cocoa has a string of bad luck throughout the day, Chiya takes her to the tea shop where Syaro works to get her mind off everything that happened.

Just as Cocoa’s finally cheered up, Syaro comments to herself about her own bad luck, returning Cocoa to gloom.

Chiya chastises Syaro:

千夜(ちや):
「せっかく今日(きょう)の出来事(できごと)忘(わす)れてたのについてないなんて言(い)っちゃだめ！」
“We went through the trouble to forgot about today, so don't say bad luck!”

Supplemental Examples

Losing all that built-up friendship with 水の泡になる
Idiom » All that effort for nothing with 水の泡になる
一週間フレンズ。 » Volume 3 » Page 51
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