ことなしに
🃏 Flashcard
ことなしに
koto nashi ni
Tap to reveal usage
without doing something
N1
Tap to test your recall · +10 XP
📊 Pattern Stats
JLPT Level
N1
Advanced · Literary, rhetorical & rare forms
Reading
koto nashi ni
Post ID
51253
Patterns today
0
0 / 10 daily goal
📝 Usage Notes
without doing something
📖 How to use it
Expresses doing something without performing a particular action, often in formal or written contexts.
Attaches to
Attach to the dictionary form (plain non-past form) of a verb: V-dictionary + ことなしに. For example, 断る + ことなしに. For nouns or na-adjectives, use の + ことなしに (but this is rare).
This pattern means 'without doing (the verb)', similar to 〜ないで or 〜ずに. However, it is more formal and literary, often used in written language, speeches, or formal statements. It can describe a condition or manner: 'without having done X, (something else happens or is done).' It often implies a contrast or a condition that is not met. For example, '彼は挨拶することなしに部屋を出た' means 'He left the room without greeting.' Note that it can also be used to mean 'without doing X, (one cannot do Y),' often with negative endings like 〜できない or 〜ない.
彼は謝ることなしに帰ってしまった。
Kare wa ayamaru koto nashi ni kaette shimatta.
He went home without apologizing.
準備することなしに試合に出るのは無謀だ。
Junbi suru koto nashi ni shiai ni deru no wa mubou da.
It's reckless to enter the match without preparing.
この問題は、調査することなしに解決できない。
Kono mondai wa, chousa suru koto nashi ni kaiketsu dekinai.
This problem cannot be solved without investigating.
Not 〜ないで / 〜ずに
ことなしに is formal/literary and often used in writing; ないで/ずに are common in everyday speech. In conversation, ことなしに sounds stiff.
Register
Formal and literary; primarily used in written Japanese, speeches, or formal announcements. Avoid in casual conversation.
🎯 Quick Quiz
What does this grammar pattern mean or do?
ことなしに
📚 How to Master This Pattern
Say It Aloud
Press Hear it and repeat ことなしに three times. Feel the rhythm — grammar patterns have a natural flow.
Flip Before Reading
Always try to recall the usage before flipping the card. Struggle = learning. Every failed recall makes the next one stick harder.
Write Two Sentences
Compose two original sentences using ことなしに. One about yourself, one about something you see right now.
Spaced Review
Save this pattern and revisit at 10 min, 1 day, 3 days. Production (writing) beats recognition for grammar.
🔗 More JLPT N1 Patterns
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What does the grammar pattern ことなしに mean?
▼
Without doing something
What JLPT level is ことなしに?
▼
Nihoner currently groups this pattern under JLPT N1 — Advanced · Literary, rhetorical & rare forms. Use the level label as study guidance rather than a prediction of what will appear on an exam.
How do you use ことなしに in a sentence?
▼
Attach ことなしに (koto nashi ni) to the appropriate verb or noun form as described in the usage notes. Then try writing two original sentences — one about yourself and one about something around you.
Is ことなしに formal or casual Japanese?
▼
ことなしに is used in formal or written contexts. You will see it mainly in written texts, news, business Japanese and academic contexts.
How can I remember ことなしに long-term?
▼
Use the flashcard on this page for active recall — see the pattern, reconstruct the usage from memory, then flip. Follow with the 4-choice quiz to distinguish it from similar patterns. Review later the same day and again over the following days. Writing original sentences can help you practise using the pattern in context.