not try to; not make an effort to~ (ようとしない) – Japanese Grammar ようとしない (you to shinai)

Q: What JLPT level is ようとしない?

JLPT N3 — Intermediate · Expressing nuance & contrast

Q: How do you use ようとしない in a sentence?

Attach ようとしない to the appropriate verb or noun form. Not try to; not make an effort to~

Q: Is ようとしない formal or casual Japanese?

ようとしない can be used in both casual conversation and polite speech depending on context.

ようとしない

N3 GRAMMAR ⏱ 0s study 📖 0 today

you to shinai

not try to; not make an effort to~

を通じて /を通して o tsuujite /o tooshite だけど dakedo 割に wari ni たものだ ta mono da にかわって ni kawatte とは限らない towa kagiranai 通す toosu に違いない ni chigai nai しかない shikanai あまりにも amari ni mo 上で ue de ばかりで bakari de には ni wa たとえ～ても tatoe~temo に関する ni kan suru も～ば～も mo~ba~mo ところが tokoro ga について ni tsuite っぽい ppoi ばよかった ba yokatta を通じて /を通して o tsuujite /o tooshite だけど dakedo 割に wari ni たものだ ta mono da にかわって ni kawatte とは限らない towa kagiranai 通す toosu に違いない ni chigai nai しかない shikanai あまりにも amari ni mo 上で ue de ばかりで bakari de には ni wa たとえ～ても tatoe~temo に関する ni kan suru も～ば～も mo~ba~mo ところが tokoro ga について ni tsuite っぽい ppoi ばよかった ba yokatta

🃏 Flashcard

ようとしない

you to shinai

Tap to reveal usage

not try to; not make an effort to~

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~

🎯 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

← Previous

ように見える

to look; to seem; to appear~

ようとする

try to; attempt to; be about to~

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

What does the grammar pattern ようとしない mean? ▼

Not try to; not make an effort to~

What JLPT level is ようとしない? ▼

JLPT N3 — Intermediate · Expressing nuance & contrast. To pass JLPT N3 you need to recognise and use this pattern correctly in reading and listening sections.

How do you use ようとしない in a sentence? ▼

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? ▼

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? ▼

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 at 10 minutes, 1 day and 3 days (spaced repetition). Writing two original sentences at each review session is the fastest way to reach production-level mastery.