Posted inN2 Grammar

~もかまわず (~mo kamawazu) | Disregarding Concerns (JLPT N2 Grammar)

Posted inN2 Grammar
Japanese Grammar Template
Meaning & Usage

✨ Basic Meaning

“Without caring about”, “regardless of”, “without minding”, “disregarding”

🎯 Primary Function

To indicate that an action is performed without concern for something that would normally cause hesitation, such as social norms, others’ feelings/opinions, potential danger, or personal discomfort.

📋 Grammar Structure

Noun + もかまわず これ/それ/あれ + もかまわず V-て-form + もかまわず

🎭 Usage Contexts

🏢 Formal Situations

Can be used in formal writing or speech to describe someone else’s actions.

😊 Informal Situations

Less common in casual conversation compared to written language, often replaced by simpler phrases.

✍️ Written Language

Frequently encountered in written materials like novels, newspapers, and reports when describing actions of others.

🗣️ Spoken Language

Used, but often in slightly formal or descriptive contexts, less in direct casual interaction.

💡 Common Applications

Describing actions done despite public attention or criticism.
Used when someone does something noticeable or potentially embarrassing without paying attention to people around them.
Example: 人目もかまわず、大声で泣いた。 (Hitome mo kamawazu, oogoe de naita.) – He cried loudly without caring who saw him.
Describing actions done despite rules or warnings.
Used when someone proceeds with an action even though there are rules, warnings, or potential negative consequences.
Example: 雨もかまわず、外に遊びに行った。 (Ame mo kamawazu, soto ni asobi ni itta.) – He went out to play regardless of the rain.
Describing actions done despite discomfort or physical state.
Used when someone does something even though they are tired, sick, or uncomfortable.
Example: 疲れもかまわず、彼は仕事を続けた。 (Tsukare mo kamawazu, kare wa shigoto o tsuzuketa.) – He continued working regardless of his fatigue.
📊
Frequency
Moderately frequent, especially in written Japanese when describing a third party’s actions.
🎚️
Difficulty
JLPT N2
Example Sentences
彼女は人の迷惑もかまわず、公共の場所で騒いだ。
She made noise in a public place without caring about bothering others.
彼は危険もかまわず、燃えている家の中に飛び込んだ。
He jumped into the burning house regardless of the danger.
子供は服が汚れるのもかまわず、泥の中で遊んだ。
The child played in the mud without minding his clothes getting dirty.
Notes & Nuances

📌 Important Points

Implies disregard for something potentially negative or restrictive.
The “something” (noun, action) that comes before もかまわず is usually something that one would typically consider or be affected by, like rules, feelings, danger, discomfort, etc.
Example: 彼女は周りの目もかまわず、歌い始めた。 (She started singing without caring about the eyes of those around her.) – The eyes of others (周りの目) is something most people would be concerned about.
Often describes behavior that is surprising, rude, or socially inappropriate.
While it can describe determined action, it frequently carries a nuance of the subject acting selfishly or inappropriately by ignoring normal constraints or considerations.
Example: 彼は交通規則もかまわず、信号無視をして走り去った。 (He ran away ignoring the traffic rules and running a red light.) – Ignoring traffic rules (交通規則) is inappropriate behavior.

⚠️ Common Mistakes

❌ Confusing it with general “without doing something” like V-ないで.
✅ ~もかまわず specifically means “without caring about/disregarding X”, where X is something that *should* be considered. V-ないで simply means “without doing V”.
「傘を持たずに出かけた。」(Went out without an umbrella) is V-ないで. 「雨もかまわずに出かけた。」(Went out regardless of the rain) is ~もかまわず. The latter implies rain *should* have been considered.
❌ Incorrectly attaching it to plain verb forms (V-ru, V-nai, V-ta) directly.
✅ It attaches to the V-て form, or directly after a noun or demonstrative.
Incorrect: 彼は危険をかまわず行った。 Correct: 彼は危険もかまわず行った。(Noun + もかまわず) or 彼は危険を恐れるのもかまわず行った。(V-るの + もかまわず, or similar phrasing). Most common verb connection is V-て + もかまわず or sometimes via の/こと.

🏛️ Cultural Context

Politeness Level: Describes actions, not a level of politeness for the speaker. The *described* action is often impolite or inconsiderate.
Social Situations: Frequently used when reporting on or describing events where someone acted against social norms or expectations.
Regional Variations: No significant regional variations.

🔍 Subtle Differences

~もかまわず vs. ~を気にせず (~wo ki ni sezu)
~もかまわず implies actively disregarding something that acts as a hindrance or negative factor. ~を気にせず is broader and can simply mean “without worrying about” or “without being bothered by”.
When to use: Use ~もかまわず when highlighting that an action proceeded despite something that *should* have caused concern or stop. Use ~を気にせず for a more general sense of not being bothered by something.
~もかまわず vs. ~にかかわらず (~ni kakawarazu)
~もかまわず focuses on disregarding something *while performing an action*. ~にかかわらず means “regardless of” conditions or factors that don’t necessarily hinder an action but establish a scope (e.g., “regardless of weather”, “regardless of age”).
When to use: Use ~もかまわず when someone acts *in the face of* something they ignore. Use ~にかかわらず when something applies universally or happens regardless of various conditions.
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📝 Conjugation Notes

Attaches directly after nouns and demonstrative pronouns (これ, それ, あれ). For verbs, it typically attaches to the V-て form, or sometimes indirectly via の/こと + もかまわず.

🔊 Pronunciation Tips

も (mo) is pronounced like the “mo” in “more”. かまわず (kamawazu) sounds like “ka-ma-wa-zoo”. The final “zu” is often devoiced.

🧠 Memory Tips

Remember that かまう (kamau) means “to care about” or “to mind”. かまわず is the negative form used adverbially. So, ~もかまわず literally means “not caring about ~ either” or “disregarding ~”. Think of the “も” particle here adding emphasis to the thing being disregarded.

Vocabulary List
人目
hitome
public eye, attention of others
大声
oogoe
loud voice
泣く
naku
to cry
雨
ame
rain
外
soto
outside
遊ぶ
asobu
to play
疲れ
fatigue
Kanji List
人
hito
person
目
me
eye
大
oo
big
声
koe
voice
泣
na(ku)
cry
雨
ame
rain
外
soto
outside
遊
aso(bu)
play
疲
tsuka(re)
tiredness
仕
shi
serve
事
goto
thing, work
Practice Exercises
彼は（　　）もかまわず、叫び続けた。
痛み
痛く
痛いこと
痛いの
周りの（　　）もかまわず、二人は抱き合った。
話
声
人々
こと
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