〜ば〜のに: meaning and usage

How to form it

• verb (ba-form)+いいのに/よかったのに
• い-adjective stem (without い)+ければ+いいのに/よかったのに
• noun/な-adjective (stem)+なら+いいのに/よかったのに
• 〜ば/〜なら+verb (dictionary form)/verb (ta-form)+のに

How it is used

Wishes things were different, with regret or mild complaint: 「〜ばいいのに」 about now ('I wish you would…'), 「〜ばよかったのに」 about the past. Adding 「のに」 to 「〜ばよかった」 adds this disappointment.

Examples

1. 昨日の授業、あなたも来ればよかったのに。

   If only you too had come to class yesterday.

2. 明日も休みならいいのになあ。

   I wish tomorrow were a day off too.

3. もう少し安ければ、買ったのに。

   If it had been a little cheaper, I would have bought it.