Grammar Info

N3 Lesson 8: 19/23

ずにWithout doing

に can be omitted

Structure

Verb［ない］+ ず(に)

Exceptions:
する ￫ せず(に)

Details

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    Formal

About ずに

Although it is not considered to be one of the primary 18 auxiliary verbs that are used in modern Japanese, ず is a classical auxiliary verb that has the same role as ぬ, and ない. This role is negating the verb that it is attached to. ずに is simply the addition of the case marking particle に to ず. Together, they mean 'without doing', in a similar way to ないで.

To use ずに, attach it to the indeterminate form of the verb that you wish to express as 'without doing (A)'. This is the same form used with ない.

ずに is quite a bit more formal than ないで, but still frequently used in modern Japanese. Especially as part of set phrases, like ずにすむ (which we will learn about in another lesson).

Caution

When used with a する verb, する will become せずに, not しずに. Both せ and し are indeterminate forms of する. し, the more common form that is used in east Japan appears with ない.

Related

Examples

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    忘(わす)れずに届(とど)けてくれてありがとうございます。

    Thank you for notifying me (without forgetting).

    何(なに)も知(し)らずにあんなこと言(い)ってごめんなさい。

    Sorry for saying those things without knowing the full story.

    悩(なや)まずに生(い)きるなんて不可能(ふかのう)なのかもしれない。

    It might not be possible to live without worrying.

    値段(ねだん)を見(み)ずに買(か)ったら大変(たいへん)なことになった。

    I bought it without checking the price and now I am in a bind.

    彼(かれ)は朝(あさ)ごはんを食(た)べずに仕事(しごと)に行(い)きました。

    He left for work without eating breakfast.

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ずに – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (16 in total)

  • GudGud07

    GudGud07

    I’m sorry for reviving this topic, but I’m a bit lost, why are we not adding a に at the end of the sentence ?

  • FredKore

    FredKore

    The meaning of “not doing” is captured in the ず. Adding the に turns it into something kinda like an adverb – it describes how the phrase that follows is being done, so it gets translated into “without doing”.
    休まない = not rest, doesn’t rest
    休まず = not rest, doesn’t rest
    休まないで勉強する = study without resting
    休まずに勉強する = study without resting
    Because it’s from classical Japanese, ず shows up in a lot of idioms. It’s not as common as ない in everyday conversation, but it has the same meaning.

  • IcyIceBear

    IcyIceBear

    Because of the comma it’s not needed

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