Japanese with Manga

Wasted effort with

Grammar: Unsorted » せっかく〜のに

せっかく〜のに expresses disappointment that an opportunity or someone’s effort went to waste: “even though we had the chance” or “even though you went to the trouble”.

Usage Notes

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

Learn the meaning and usage of the grammar せっかく〜のに in Japanese, with examples from manga.
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

Try finding this grammar in the following 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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