Grammar Info

N3 Lesson 1: 6/22

ない内(うち)にBefore it becomes, Before ~ occurs, Without

Unfavorable result

Structure

Verb［ない］+ うちに + Phrase

Details

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    Standard

  • Rare Kanji

    無い

About ないうちに

In contrast to うちに, which is often used to express the 'optimal', or 'best' time within which something should occur, ないうちに expresses the time within which something 'does not' occur, and results in (or causes) something negative, or will cause something negative if not dealt with. This means that 'before (A) happens (B)', or 'without (A) happening, (B).

うちに will be paired with verbs in their ない (negative) form, before the (B) phrase highlights something that 'is done to prevent (A) from happening', or 'happened unfortunately during (A)'.

Fun Fact

前(まえ)に and ないうちに are used in very similar situations, with the primary difference being that ないうちに focuses more on unfavorable results.

Related

Examples

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    暗(くら)くならない内(うち)に帰(かえ)って来(き)なさいよ。

    Come back home before it gets dark.

    私(わたし)が知(し)らない内(うち)に、友達(ともだち)が離婚(りこん)していた。

    Before I knew it, my friend was divorced.

    冷(さ)めない内(うち)にお召(め)し上(あ)がりください。

    Please eat it before it gets cold.

    眠(ねむ)くならない内(うち)に宿題(しゅくだい)を終(お)わらせよう。

    Let's finish the homework before I get sleepy.

    いくらも泳(およ)がない内(うち)に、向(む)こう岸(ぎし)についてしまった。

    Without swimming that much, I reached the other shore.

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