Video
Let’s watch this short video for a quick overview.
Source: gokigen japanese official YouTube Channel
Introduction
Want to say “I went out without an umbrella” or “He sleeps without turning off the lights”? The core beginner pattern is V-ないで. It attaches to the negative (nai) form of a verb and means “without doing X,” before another action.
This article centers on ～ないで. We’ll add a brief tip on the related formal form ～ずに／せずに near the end.
1. Structure & Meaning
The Japanese grammar pattern V-ない + で is used to express “without doing something” or “not doing something.” It indicates that an action has not been performed or was avoided while doing something else.
| Pattern | Meaning | Example (JP) | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| V-ないで, V₂ | do V₂ without doing V | 朝ごはんを食べないで学校に行きます。 | I go to school without eating breakfast. |
2. How to Form It
- Make the verb negative (nai) form.
- add で.
- Add the main action right after.
| Verb | Negative (nai) | V-ないで |
|---|---|---|
| 食べる (to eat) | 食べない | 食べないで (without eating) |
| 行く (to go) | 行かない | 行かないで (without going) |
| する (to do) | しない | しないで (without doing) |
| 来る (to come) | こない | こないで (without coming) |
Review Unit 8-1 of Level 1 for how to make V-ない forms!
3. Example Sentences
砂糖を入れないでコーヒーを飲みます。
I drink coffee without adding sugar.
電気を消さないで寝ました。
I slept without turning off the light.
- 辞書を使わないで日本語の本を読みます。
I read Japanese books without using a dictionary. - ひげをそらないで会社に行きました。
I went to work without shaving. - サイズを見ないでＴシャツを買ってしまいました。
I ended up buying a T-shirt without checking the size. - カギをかけないで出かけました。
I left without locking the door.
4. Usage Notes & Variations
- Time: V-ないで works in present or past; the “without” action is understood to happen before or during the main action.
- 砂糖を入れないで紅茶を飲みます。
I always drink black tea without sugar. - 砂糖を入れないで紅茶を飲みました。
I drank black tea without sugar.
- 砂糖を入れないで紅茶を飲みます。
- Don’t confuse with a request:
- V-ないでください = Please don’t do X. (prohibition/request)
- V-ないで、V₂ = Do V₂ without doing X. (sequence/ manner)
5. Practice Time!
Convert each cue into a “without ~ing” sentence (first one done).
| Cue | Model answer | English |
|---|---|---|
| 朝ごはん／食べる → 学校に行く | 朝ごはんを食べないで学校に行きます。 | I go to school without eating breakfast. |
| 傘／持つ → 出かける（past） | 傘を持たないで出かけました。 | I went out without taking an umbrella. |
| 宿題／する → ねる | 宿題をしないで寝ます。 | I go to bed without doing my homework. |
| 電気／消す → 家を出る (past) | 電気を消さないで家を出ました。 | I left home without turning off the lights. |
| サイズ／確認する → ネットで買う (past) | サイズを確認しないでネットで買いました。 | I bought it online without checking the size. |
6. Common Mistakes
| ❌ Wrong | Why it’s wrong | ✅ Fix |
|---|---|---|
| 宿題をするないで寝ました。 | する → しない | 宿題をしないで寝ました。 |
| 電気を消しませんで寝ました。 | Use Present negative (V-nai) form | 電気を消さないで寝ました。 |
7. Related Grammar: V-ずに / せずに (formal “without”)
Your main tool is ～ないで. In more formal or written contexts, you may see ～ずに (and せずに for する).
| Verb | ～ないで | ～ずに |
|---|---|---|
| 食べる (taberu, to eat) | 食べないで | 食べずに |
| 使う (tsukau, to use) | 使わないで | 使わずに |
| する (suru, to do) | しないで | せずに |
Example sentence:
- 夕食を食べないで寝ました。 = 夕食を食べずに寝ました。
I went to bed without eating dinner. - 薬を使わないで病気をなおしました。= 薬を使わずに病気をなおしました。
I cured my illness without using medicine. - 予約しないでレストランに行きました。= 予約せずにレストランに行きました。
We went to a restaurant without making a reservation.
8. Another Meaning: ‘Instead of doing X, do Y’
‘V-naide’ can also mean “Don’t do X, do Y instead.” Besides “without doing,” V-naide has another crucial meaning: linking two actions where you choose to do the second one instead of the first. The structure is the same, but the meaning is about choice, not manner.
Example: エレベーターを使わないで、階段で行きましょう。= Let’s take the stairs instead of the elevator.
9. FAQ
- QCan I stack multiple “without” actions?
- A
Yes, but keep it readable. Example: 朝ごはんを食べないで、歯も磨かないで出かけました。(Asagohan o tabenaide ha mo migakanaide dekake mashita / I left without eating breakfast or brushing my teeth.)
- QWhen should I use V-ないで versus V-ずに (V-zuni)?
- A
They both mean “without -ing,” but they differ in formality.
- V-ないで (naide) is neutral and very common in everyday conversation. When in doubt, use this one.
- V-ずに (zuni) is more formal and primarily used in written Japanese (essays, reports, news) or formal speeches.
- Special case: For the verb する (suru), the zuni form is せずに (sezu ni). This is a very common set phrase.
- QI saw the sentence そこで またないで、こっちへ 来てください。 (Don’t wait there, please come here.) Is this “without waiting”?
- A
This is the other major use of V-naide. It doesn’t mean “without,” but rather “Don’t do X, and do Y instead.” It connects two clauses to present an alternative action.
- QHow do I say “without [a noun]”? For example, “coffee without sugar”?
- A
For nouns, you don’t use -naide. Instead, you use the pattern Noun + なしで (nashi de).
- 辞書なしで新聞を読みます。 (I read the newspaper without a dictionary.)
- 砂糖なしでコーヒーを飲みます。 (I drink coffee without sugar.)
- QHow does the tense work? Does the verb before -naide change?
- A
The verb before -naide is always in the short negative form (-nai) and never changes, regardless of the tense of the main sentence. The final verb determines the tense of the whole sentence.
- Present: 朝ごはんを食べないで、学校に行きます。 (I go to school without eating breakfast.)
- Past: 朝ごはんを食べないで、学校に行きました。 (I went to school without eating breakfast.)
- QI went to bed without doing anything. Can I say 何もしないで寝ました?
- A
Yes, that is a perfect and very natural sentence! 何もしないで (nani mo shinaide) is a common phrase meaning “without doing anything.” You can use it in many situations.
Example: 週末は何もしないで、家でリラックスしました。 (I relaxed at home this weekend without doing anything special.)
Conclusion
Now you can use V-ないで (and the formal V-ずに/せずに) to express “without ~ing” naturally:
- ✅ Build it from the nai form + で
- ✅ Use it for manner/sequence, not for reasons (→ なくて)
- ✅ Don’t confuse it with V-ないでください (“please don’t”)
Try rewriting three things you did today without doing something else—your sentences will instantly sound more natural and precise.
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