Grammar Info

N1 Lesson 2: 7/17

とも無(な)く

Absentmindedly, Mindlessly, Unconsciously, Without paying attention

・It can be also used with うちに、ところに and similar expressions

Structure

Verb［る］(A) + ともなく(1) + Verb［たら］(2)(A)

(1) ともなしに
(2) Verb + と

Details

  • Register

    Standard

  • 使用域

    一般

About ともなく・ともなしに

ともなく and ともなしに are structures used to indicate that (A) was being done absentmindedly when (B) happened. It will be translated as 'unconsciously (A) when (B)', or 'without paying attention to (A), (B)'.
This pattern is a combination of the case-marking particle と, the adverbial particle も, and the conjunctive form of the い-Adjective ない. It will be seen after the dictionary form of verbs, and can be thought of as literally meaning something similar to 'even while not intending to (B), while (A), (B)'.
  • 昨日(きのう)テレビを見(み)るともなく見(み)ていたら、急(きゅう)にお母(かあ)さんが出(で)てきたから驚(おどろ)いた。
    When I was absentmindedly watching TV yesterday, I was surprised when my mother suddenly appeared.
  • 話(はなし)を聞(き)くともなく、先生(せんせい)と黒板(こくばん)の方向(ほうこう)をぼーっと見(み)ていた。
    I listened absentmindedly while staring towards the direction of my teacher and the blackboard.
ともなしに is similar, but pairs the noun なし 'without' with に, instead of using the conjugative form of ない.
  • 飲(の)み会(かい)で上司(じょうし)の話(はなし)を聞(き)くともなしに聞(き)いていたら、「お前(まえ)はどう思(おも)う」と聞(き)かれたから適当(てきとう)に返事(へんじ)した。
    When I was at a drinking party and was absentmindedly listening to my boss, he asked what I thought, so I gave him a random response.
  • 暇(ひま)だったから近所(きんじょ)を歩(ある)くともなしに歩(ある)いていたら、高校(こうこう)の同級生(どうきゅうせい)にばったりあった。
    When I was mindlessly walking in my neighborhood because I had nothing to do, I met my classmate from high school.
ともなく and ともなしに will often be seen in sentences that use たら. This puts emphasis on the specific time that something happened while performing another action absentmindedly. Despite translating this way, the action that precedes ともなく itself will be intentional, but the thing that comes about as a result of performing that action will not be what the doer was aiming to achieve.

Examples

--:--

    山田(やまだ)さんと晩(ばん)御飯(ごはん)を食(た)べるとも無(な)く食(た)べていたら、急(きゅう)に彼(かれ)が告白(こくはく)してきて驚(おどろ)いた。

    When I was absentmindedly eating dinner with Yamada-san, he suddenly confessed (his feelings for me) and it really surprised me.

    勝者(しょうしゃ)の発表(はっぴょう)を聞(き)くとも無(な)く聞(き)いていたら、なんと私(わたし)の名前(なまえ)が挙(あ)がっていた。

    I listened absentmindedly to the announcements of the winners, when, to my disbelief, my name came up.

    隣人(りんじん)の窓(まど)を見(み)るとも無(な)く見(み)ると、驚(おどろ)いたことに裸(はだか)の人(ひと)がいた。

    I looked at my neighbor's window without paying attention, and, to my surprise, there was a naked person.

    昨日(きのう)、考(かんが)えるとも無(な)く考(かんが)えているところに、スズメバチにひどく刺(さ)されて「痛(いた)っ！」思(おも)わず叫(さけ)んでしまった。

    Yesterday, when I was thinking about nothing in particular, I was badly stung by a wasp, and without thinking shouted: 'Ouch!' (mindlessly)

    ノベル：「彼(かれ)は夜遅(よるおそ)くテレビを見(み)るとも無(な)く見(み)ているうちにいつのまにか寝入(ねいれ)ってしまったようだ。」

    Novel: 'It seems that he fell asleep while he was mindlessly watching TV late at night.'

  • Get more example sentences!

    Premium users get access to 12 example sentences on all Grammar Points.

Self-Study Sentences

Study your own way!

Add sentences and study them alongside Bunpro sentences.

ともなく・ともなしに – Grammar Discussion

    There's currently no discussion for ともなく・ともなしに
    Ask questions and learn together with other Bunpro users!

Join the Discussion