Japanese Grammar: ずに (zuni) – Doing Something Without…

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Japanese Grammar: ずに (zuni) – Doing Something Without…
Meaning & Usage

✨ Basic Meaning

‘Without doing…’ or ‘Instead of doing…’

🎯 Primary Function

To indicate that an action is performed without the occurrence of another expected action.

📋 Grammar Structure

Verb (Nai-form) [Remove ない] + ずに / *Irregular: する -> せずに
N/A (This grammar point is specifically used with verbs.)
N/A (This grammar point is specifically used with verbs.)
Verb (Nai-stem) + ずに (Note: The pattern itself expresses a negative condition.)

🎭 Usage Contexts

🏢 Formal Situations

Very common in formal speeches, business emails, and official instructions.

😊 Informal Situations

Less common than ‘nai de’ but still used when someone wants to sound a bit more serious or articulate.

✍️ Written Language

The standard form for novels, essays, and news reports to express ‘without’.

🗣️ Spoken Language

Used in polite or formal conversations; ‘nai de’ is preferred in casual daily speech.

💡 Common Applications

Describing simultaneous states
Used to describe a state where an expected action is omitted while performing another action.
Example: Nothing changed, he just sat there without saying a word.
Expressing alternatives
Used to show that one action was chosen over another.
Example: Instead of buying a new car, I fixed the old one.
Formal writing/Speech
Commonly found in instructions, formal reports, or literature.
Example: Please refrain from entering without permission.
📊
Frequency
High in written Japanese and formal spoken contexts.
🎚️
Difficulty
JLPT N3 (Intermediate)
Tag:

Related Kanji

JLPT N3 Kanji List

Related Vocabulary

JLPT N3 Vocabulary List
Example Sentences
Example #1
朝ご飯を食べずに学校へ行きました。
Furigana: あさごはんをたべずにがっこうへいきました。
Romaji: Asagohan o tabezuni gakkou e ikimashita.
English: I went to school without eating breakfast.
Example #2
傘を持たずに外に出たら、雨が降ってきた。
Furigana: かさをもたずにそとにでたら、あめがふってきた。
Romaji: Kasa o motazuni soto ni detara, ame ga futte kita.
English: When I went outside without an umbrella, it started to rain.
Example #3
辞書を使わずにこの本を読み終えた。
Furigana: じしょをつかわずにこのほんをよみおえた。
Romaji: Jisho o tsukawazuni kono hon o yomioeta.
English: I finished reading this book without using a dictionary.
Example #4
彼は何も言わずに部屋を出て行った。
Furigana: かれはなにもいわずにおへやをでていった。
Romaji: Kare wa nani mo iwazuni heya o dete itta.
English: He left the room without saying anything.
Example #5
昨夜は電気を消さずに寝てしまった。
Furigana: さくやはでんきをけさずにねてしまった。
Romaji: Sakuya wa denki o kesazuni nete shimatta.
English: Last night, I accidentally fell asleep without turning off the light.
Example #6
誰にも頼らずに、自分一人で解決した。
Furigana: だれにもたよらずに、じぶんひとりでかいけつした。
Romaji: Dare ni mo tayorazuni, jibun hitori de kaiketsu shita.
English: I solved it by myself without relying on anyone.
Example #7
あきらめずに最後まで頑張ってください。
Furigana: あきらめずにさいごまでがんばってください。
Romaji: Akiramezuni saigo made ganbatte kudasai.
English: Please keep trying until the end without giving up.
Example #8
準備をせずに試験に臨むのは危険だ。
Furigana: じゅんびをせずにしけんにのぞむのはきけんだ。
Romaji: Junbi o sezuni shiken ni nozomu no wa kiken da.
English: It is dangerous to face an exam without doing any preparation.
Example #9
砂糖を入れずにコーヒーを飲むのが好きだ。
Furigana: さとうをいれずにコーヒーをのむのがすきだ。
Romaji: Satou o irezuni koohii o nomu no ga suki da.
English: I like drinking coffee without putting in any sugar.
Example #10
彼は一生懸命勉強せずに合格した。
Furigana: かれはいっしょうけんめいべんきょうせずにごうかくした。
Romaji: Kare wa isshoukenmei benkyou sezuni goukaku shita.
English: He passed the exam without studying hard.
Notes & Nuances

📌 Important Points

Contrast and Replacement
‘Zuni’ can be used to link two clauses where the first action didn’t happen, and the second one did instead.
Example: 学校に行かずに、家でゲームをした。
State of Action
It describes the condition/manner in which the main verb was performed.
Example: 何も言わずに去った。 (He left without saying anything.)

⚠️ Common Mistakes

❌ しずに (shizuni)
✅ せずに (sezuni)
The verb ‘suru’ is irregular. You must use ‘sezuni’, not ‘shizuni’.
❌ 食べずにください (Tabezuni kudasai)
✅ 食べないでください (Tabenaide kudasai)
‘Zuni’ cannot be used for direct requests or commands. Use ‘nai de’ for ‘Please don’t…’.

🏛️ Cultural Context

Politeness Level: Considered more literary and formal than the everyday ‘nai de’.
Social Situations: Using ‘zuni’ in a business report shows a higher level of linguistic proficiency compared to only using ‘nai de’.
Regional Variations: The ‘nu’ ending is a remnant of classical Japanese (the ‘zari’ system), which is still reflected in some dialects as ‘n’.

🔍 Subtle Differences

ずに (zuni) vs ないで (nai de)
‘Zuni’ is formal/written; ‘nai de’ is casual/spoken. ‘Nai de’ can be used for requests, ‘zuni’ cannot.
When to use: Use ‘zuni’ for writing or formal speeches. Use ‘nai de’ for daily conversation and requests.

📝 Conjugation Notes

To conjugate, take the plain negative (nai-form) of the verb, remove ‘nai’, and add ‘zuni’. For group 3 verbs: ‘kuru’ becomes ‘kozuni’ and ‘suru’ becomes ‘sezuni’.

🔊 Pronunciation Tips

Ensure the ‘zu’ (ず) is a voiced ‘z’ sound, not ‘su’. The ‘ni’ (に) is short and crisp.

🧠 Memory Tips

Think of ‘zuni’ as the formal sibling of ‘nai de’. Remember the ‘S’ rule: Suru -> Sezuni. If you see ‘zuni’, just replace it with ‘without -ing’ in your head.

Other Grammar

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