modality N1 uncommon casualwritten
〜だろうに — surely ~, and yet
〜だろうに ・ だろうに
Builds on だろう
Meaning
- ~ surely would have, and yet ~ / you'd think ~, but — expresses regret or reproach that reality went against a natural expectation
Key sentence
電話してくれれば、迎えに行っただろうに。
If you'd called, I would have come to pick you up (but you didn't).
Formation
| Attaches to | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Plain form (often past) + に | （ば／たら counterfactual clause）、V-た + だろう + に. Frequently sentence-final and trailing off | 間に合っただろうに / よかっただろうに |
When: Emotive — conveys the speaker's regret, sympathy, or mild reproach over what could have been; often left unfinished.
Examples
もう少し早く出れば、間に合っただろうに。
If you'd left a little earlier, you'd have made it (but you didn't).
本当のことを話せば、許してもらえただろうに。
If you'd told the truth, you'd have been forgiven (but you didn't).
When you can't use it
- Implies the expectation did *not* come true (counterfactual/contrary-to-reality) — not used for outcomes that actually happened.
Easily confused with
See 〜だろうに in real sentences
Jengo shows 〜だろうに the way you actually meet it: inside real Japanese sentences, so it sticks instead of staying an abstract rule.
Study it in JengoSources Compiled from published Japanese grammar references. Editorial confidence: medium.