「ので」 and 「のに」 are postpositional particles 格(かく)助詞(じょし) which work as a conjunction 接続(せつぞく).
「ので」 is resultative 順接(じゅんせつ); 「のに」 contradictory 逆接(ぎゃくせつ).
「が」 also works as a conjunction—both for resultative and for contradictory.
1. 「ので」
It shows a feeling that the situation described in the latter statement was brought in the course of nature because of the situation described in the former statement.
「雨(あめ)が降り出した(ふりだした)ので出掛け(でかけ)なかった。」
I didn’t go out because it started to rain.
「彼女(かのじょ)はきれいなので人目(ひとめ)を引く(ひく)。」
She’s so beautiful that she attracts attention.
「んで」 can also be used instead.
「先生(せんせい)が速く(はやく)しゃべるんでわからなかった。」
The teacher spoke too fast for me to understand.
「ので」 makes a natural connection. The latter is brought naturally as a result of the former. You need to use 「から」 instead of 「ので」 if the latter is brought based on a subjective point of view.
△「この犬(いぬ)は黒い(くろい)ので私(わたし)は好き(すき)だ。」
〇「この犬(いぬ)は黒い(くろい)から私(わたし)は好き(すき)だ。」
If you put them to English, both are: I like the dog because it’s black.
However, the former statement can be used only when everybody knows that you like a black color or a black dog, and when you feel that you like a black dog as a matter of course.
The latter statement is a simple, plain statement. You just state the reason why you like the dog.
〇「犬(いぬ)は忠実(ちゅうじつ)なので好き(すき)だ。」
〇「犬(いぬ)は忠実(ちゅうじつ)だから好き(すき)だ。」
Both are: I like dogs because they’re faithful. We can say that we mostly like faithful people or animals. So the first statement is not weird.
2. 「のに」
2-1. 「のに」 makes a contradictory connection. The statement described after 「のに」 is contrary to what is normally expected from the statement before 「のに」.
「こんなに寒い(さむい)のに子供(こども)は元気(げんき)一杯(いっぱい)だ。」
Children are active although it’s so chilly.
「あまり勉強(べんきょう)しなかったのに試験(しけん)に合格(ごうかく)した。」
I passed the exam although I didn’t work so hard.
「昼間(ひるま)だのに人(ひと)っ子(こ)一人(ひとり)歩いて(あるいて)いない。」
It’s daytime but nobody walks in the street.
2-2. Ending with 「のに」, you can show your disapproval against somebody’s action or behavior.
「あれほど注意(ちゅうい)しておいたのに。」
I have warned you so many times!
「そんなのじゃだめだのに。」
That won’t work.
3. 「が」
3-1. 「が」 works for a conjunction. It has both resultative and contradictory use. Unlike 「のに」 and 「ので」, 「が」 does not always suggest a causal relationship between the statements before and after 「が」.
「努力(どりょく)したが、解決(かいけつ)には至ら(いたら)なかった。」
The issue was not resolved although attempts had been made.
「絵(え)を描く(かく)のも好き(すき)だが、音楽(おんがく)を聴く(きく)も好き(すき)だ。」
I like listening to music as well as drawing pictures.
「父(ちち)はやさしい顔(かお)をしているが、怒る(おこる)ととても怖い(こわい)。」
My father looks mild but is fierce when he gets angry.
「食べて(たべて)みたが、予想(よそう)通り(どおり)の味(あじ)だった。」
I tried eating it; it tasted as I expected.
「昨日(きのう)彼(かれ)と初めて話(はじめてはな)しましたが、とても感じ(かんじ)のいい人(ひと)でした。」
I spoke with him for the first time yesterday and found him very pleasant.
「暑い(あつい)日(ひ)が続きます(つづきます)が、お元気(おげんき)ですか。」 (This is usually the usage in a letter. You first talk about the weather, then ask how the addressee is doing.)
It’s been hot day after day. How are you?
3-2. Ending with 「が」, you show a feeling that you’re waiting for a response.
「試して(ためして)はみますが。」
OK. I’ll have a try…
「もしもし、田中(たなか)ですが。」 (In a telephone conversation.)
Hello, this is the Tanaka residence.
It is sometimes used in interrogation.
「言わなくて(いわなくて)もわかっているだろうが。」
Don’t you understand it if I don’t say that?
3-3. In the form of 「・・・う（よう、まい）が・・・う（よう、まい）が」, it means WHETHER OR NOT, WHICHEVER, or WHATEVER.
「彼女(かのじょ)が行こう(いこう)が行く(いく)まいが構わない(かまわない)。」
It doesn’t matter whether she goes or not.
「私(わたし)のことを好き(すき)であろうがあるまいが、彼(かれ)のことが好き(すき)です。」
I love him; I don’t care if he loves me or not.
「どうしようが勝手(かって)だ。」
You can do whatever you like.
3-4. 「が」 is used at the beginning of a sentence to mean 「しかし」. This is not a particle.
「彼(かれ)が悪い(わるい)と思う(おもう)。が、彼(かれ)はそれを認めない(みとめない)。」
I think he’s to blame. But he doesn’t accept it.
「お小遣い(おこづかい)をあげよう。が、しっかり勉強(べんきょう)するんだよ。」
I’ll give you an allowance. You should study, however.
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