ようとしない
🃏 Flashcard
ようとしない
you to shinai
Tap to reveal usage
not try to; not make an effort to~
N3
Tap to test your recall · +10 XP
📊 Pattern Stats
JLPT Level
N3
Intermediate · Expressing nuance & contrast
Reading
you to shinai
Post ID
50990
Patterns today
0
0 / 10 daily goal
📝 Usage Notes
not try to; not make an effort to~
📖 How to use it
Expresses that someone shows no sign of trying or making an effort to do something.
Attaches to
Attach to the ます-stem (連用形) of a verb, followed by としない. For verbs like する, it becomes しようとしない; for 食べる, 食べようとしない.
This pattern describes a person who refuses or neglects to attempt an action. It often carries a critical or frustrated tone, highlighting the lack of effort. The subject is usually a third person, but can be the speaker when self-critical. It is used in both speech and writing, though in conversation it may sound a bit emphatic. The negative form ようとしない focuses on the attitude, not just the fact of not doing it. It is related to ようとする (to try to), but with ない it means 'does not even try'.
彼は何も言おうとしない。
Kare wa nanimo iou to shinai.
He doesn't try to say anything.
息子は宿題をやろうとしない。
Musuko wa shukudai o yarou to shinai.
My son won't even try to do his homework.
上司は私の意見を聞こうとしない。
Joushi wa watashi no iken o kikou to shinai.
My boss won't listen to my opinion.
Not ～ないでいる
～ないでいる means 'to remain in a state of not doing something' (e.g., 彼は知らないでいる = he remains unaware), while ～ようとしない emphasizes a lack of effort or intention to start an action.
Register
Neutral to slightly critical; used in both written and spoken Japanese, but in casual conversation it can sound blunt.
🎯 Quick Quiz
What does this grammar pattern mean or do?
ようとしない
📚 How to Master This Pattern
Say It Aloud
Press Hear it and repeat ようとしない 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 ようとしない. 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 N3 Patterns
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What does the grammar pattern ようとしない mean?
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Not try to; not make an effort to~
What JLPT level is ようとしない?
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Nihoner currently groups this pattern under JLPT N3 — Intermediate · Expressing nuance & contrast. Use the level label as study guidance rather than a prediction of what will appear on an exam.
How do you use ようとしない in a sentence?
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Attach ようとしない (you to shinai) 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 ようとしない formal or casual Japanese?
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ようとしない is used in both casual and polite contexts. It appears frequently in everyday conversation, textbooks, and simple written materials.
How can I remember ようとしない long-term?
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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.