おまけに
おまけに adds another point that reinforces what has just been said: “on top of that” or “what’s more.” It often adds another unwelcome circumstance, giving the sense “to make matters worse.”
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おまけに is mainly conversational and also appears in casual writing. It often piles up complaints or bad luck, though it can add positive points too; その上 and さらに are more suitable for formal writing.
Do not treat おまけに as only a standalone conjunction; it can also follow the forms listed in the formation.
Do not use おまけに to introduce a contrasting point.
- しかもN2「しかも」 is neutral in register, common in both speech and writing, and emphasizes that the following item goes one step further. It can also carry a contrastive nuance meaning 'on top of that, surprisingly,' a usage 「おまけに」 does not have. When simply stacking similar items, the two are mostly interchangeable, but 「おまけに」 is more colloquial and often carries a complaining tone.
- その上N2「その上」 also adds content in the same direction and the two are interchangeable in most cases. However, it is neutral in register, objective and steady in tone, and common in writing as well; it does not itself carry any complaining or exclamatory coloring. It follows a sentence, the て-form, で, or くて, and can also be said as 「その上に」.
- 上にN2「上に」 also indicates same-direction accumulation and, when placed after the preceding clause, is mostly interchangeable with 「おまけに」. However, 「上に」 cannot stand alone at the start of a sentence; it is neutral in register and common in writing, and the following clause generally does not take commands, requests, or invitations.
- に加えてN3Both express accumulation. 「に加えて」 leans toward written style and is objective, without any complaining or exclamatory tone; it attaches directly to nouns, while verbs and い-adjectives need 「の／こと」, and な-adjectives can use 「であるに加えて」. 「おまけに」 is more colloquial.
- さらにN3When expressing addition, 「さらに」 is close to 「おまけに」 and mostly interchangeable, but it is neutral in register, common in writing, and carries no complaining tone. In addition, 「さらに」 can also mean 'even more' in degree or 'further' in quantity, which 「おまけに」 cannot.
しかも and その上 also add a point but are more neutral; さらに is a neutral “furthermore.” Unlike a standalone おまけに, 上に and に加えて attach to preceding material, but おまけに can attach in the forms listed above too.
