「この車、ナビついてないの？」

＝Kono kuruma navi tsuite naino?

= This car doesn’t have a navigation system?

「免許持ってないくせに！」

= Menkyo motte nai kuseni!

= You don’t even have a driver’s license. (So you have no right to complain.)

Hi everybody,

I will teach you how to use くせに ( = 癖に = kuseni) today.  

 

準備はいい？(= Junbi wa ii?)  Ready? 

くせに means “although” / “despite” / ” even though” / “even if”.

We use くせに when we accuse / tease/ criticize someone.

It shows speaker’s contempt, dissatisfaction.

It is similar to のに ( = noni)

In case you haven’t seen my   のに ( = noni) lesson, please go check it later.

Compare to のに(=noni), くせに(=kuseni) is more negative, stronger and judgmental.

Though it is not a bad word and you hear it often in conversation, you should be careful who you use it with and when to use it.

For example, if you say,

犬なのに日本語を教えるの？

= Inu nanoni nihongo wo oshieruno?

= Do you teach Japanese despite being just a dog?

I know I get a bit hurt but It is acceptable. However, if you say

犬のくせに日本語を教えるの？

= Inu no kuse ni nihongo wo oshieru no?

=  Do you teach Japanese despite being a dog?
 (You are just a dog and you are telling me that you teach Japanese?)

It sounds very condescending and looking down on me. If you say that,  I might bite you!

Grrrrr  :-x

You can also use くせして=  癖して( = kuseshite) instead of くせに = 癖に ( = kuseni). But today I will just focus on　くせに ( = kuseni)

How to form :

noun + の( = no) ＋くせに( = kuseni)

＊男のくせに = otoko no kuseni = even though you are a man, for a man, as a man, despite being a man,

Ex. 彼は男のくせに甘いものが好きだ。

= Kare wa otoko no kuse ni amaimono ga sukida.

= For a man, he likes sweets.

Note : This sentence implies “Men shouldn’t/don’t eat sweets because sweets are for women.”

Ex. あの子は、子供のくせに大人びた話し方をする。

= Anoko wa kodomo no kuse ni otonabita hanashikata wo suru.

= He(she) talks like an adult although he(she) is a mere child.

Ex. マギー先生は、日本語の先生のくせに「薔薇」という漢字を書けないんですか？

= Maggie sensei wa nihongo no sensei no kuseni “bara” to iu kanji wo kakenain desu ka?

= Though you are a Japanese teacher, you can’t write the kanji “薔薇 = bara = rose(s)”, Maggie Sensei?

No I can’t!  And  so what??

Ex.お金持ちのくせにけちけちしないで！

= Okanemochi no kuse ni kechikechi shinaide!

= Don’t be stingy. I know you are rich!

Ex.大きい会社のくせに設備が整っていない。

= Ookii kaisha no kuse ni setubi ga totonotte inai.

= It is a big company but it is poorly equipped.

Ex. 彼は、医者のくせに煙草を吸っている。

= Kare wa isha no kuse ni tabako wo sutte iru.

= He is a doctor but he smokes.

Negative form :

Ex. 医者でもないくせに。

= Isha demo nai kuseni.

= (You are even a doctor (so don’t talk/act like a doctor, you have no right to do~))

= As if you were a doctor!

 

Note : We usually use this form when we refer to people (or animals), groups or entities.

We don’t say

X Ex. １２月のくせに暖かい。

= Juunigatsu no kuseni atatakai.

Instead, we use（な）のに ( = (na)noni)

Ex. １２月なのに暖かい。

= Juunigatsu nanoni atatakai.

= It is warm for December.

i-adj form + くせに ( = kuseni)

＊大きいくせに= ookii kuseni = even though someone is big, despite the fact something is big

Ex. 彼は体が大きいくせに何もできない。

= Kare wa karada ga ookii kuse ni nani mo dekinai.

= Despite the fact he is big, he can’t do anything.

na-adj な ( = na) form + くせに ( = kuseni)

＊下手なくせに = hetana kuseni = Even though someone is bad at something

Ex. 彼は、歌が下手なくせに歌手になりたい。

= Kare wa utaga hetana kuse ni kashu ni naritai.

= Despite being  bad at singing,  he wants to be a singer.

verb basic form + くせに ( = kuseni)

＊知っているくせに = shitteiru kuseni = even though someone knows, even if someone knows, although someone knows

Ex. 彼は、私の気持を知っているくせに無視をする。

= Kare wa watasih no kimochi wo shitte iru kuse ni mushi wo suru.

= Although he knows how I really feel about him, he ignores me.

Ex.
A: 「彼、まだ日本語で１００まで数えられないんだって。」

= Kare mada nihongo de hyaku made kazoerarenain datte.

= You know I heard he still can’t count up to one hundred in Japanese.

B: 「自分だって１年前は10までも数えられなかったくせに。」

= Jibun datte ichinen mae wa juumade mo kazoerarenakatta kuseni.

= You couldn’t even count up to ten a year ago either!

Ex.

A: 「おやつばっかり食べると太るよ。」

= Oyatsu bakkari taberu to futoruyo.

= If you keep eating sweets, you will get fat.

B: 「自分だっていつも食べてるくせに！」

= Jibun datte itsumo tabeteru kuseni!

= You always eats sweets, too. (Look who’s talking!)

As I said, it often involves negative feelings, but we also use it when we tease someone.

Ex.

A: 「もう、あんな人、大嫌い！」

= Mou anna hito daikirai!

= I hate that guy!

B: 「まだ好きなくせに」

= Mada sukina kuseni.

= (You’re just saying that.) I know you still like him.

Ex.

A: 「彼女はすぐにやきもちを焼くんだ。」
= Kanojo wa suguni yakimochi wo yakunda.
= She gets jealous so easily.

B :「嬉しいくせに！」
= Ureshii kuseni!
= I know you are happy about it.

 ***********

Ex. 朝、たくさん食べたくせにもうお腹がすいたの？

= Asa takusan tabeta kuse ni mou onaka ga suita no?

= Even though you ate a lot this morning, are you already hungry?

Note :  You don’t usually useくせに ( = kuseni) when you are talking about yourself.

Ex. 朝、たくさん食べたくせにもうお腹がすいた。(not natural)

= Asa takusan tabeta kuse ni mou onaga suita.

= Although I ate a lot this morning, I am already hungry.

Instead, we use のに ( = noni)

朝、たくさん食べたのにもうお腹がすいた。

= Asa takusan tabeta noni mou onaka ga suita.

マギー先生より = Maggie Sensei yori = From Maggie Sensei

今から、「薔薇」という漢字を書く練習をしてきます！じゃあね！

= Ima kara “bara” toiu kanji wo kaku rennshu wo shitekimasu. Jaane!

= I go practice writing the kanji “薔薇=bara= rose(s)” now. See you!

 

This lesson is translated in Spanish. Our wonderful friend, Orti, volunteered to translate along with a mini lesson on kuseni.

I posted on Facebook.

くせに（ = kuseni) in Spanish  Click here

くせに（ = kuseni) mini lesson in Spanish  Click here