ずに

ずに means without doing. It is a JLPT N3 grammar pattern used to say one action happens without doing another expected action.

This grammar point often appears in neutral Japanese. If you want to say one action happens without doing another expected action, ずに is a useful pattern to learn.

What does ずに mean?

Use ずに when you want to say one action happens without doing another expected action.

Natural translations include:

• without doing
• without doing
• without doing

How to form ずに

Verbない-stem + ずに / する → せずに

Examples of the pattern:

• 食べずに
• 行かずに
• 勉強せずに

When is ずに used?

Use ずに in situations like:

• explaining grammar in context
• answering JLPT reading questions
• making natural Japanese sentences

Tone and register:

• neutral
• Common in JLPT reading, grammar questions, and natural Japanese sentences

ずに example sentences

• 朝ご飯を食べずに学校へ行った。 — I went to school without eating breakfast.
• 彼は何も言わずに出て行った。 — He left without saying anything.
• 辞書を使わずに、この文を読んでみてください。 — Please try reading this sentence without using a dictionary.
• 勉強せずに試験を受けた。 — I took the exam without studying.
• 休まずに働き続けた。 — I kept working without resting.

Nuance of ずに

The key nuance is a natural way to express “without doing” with the right context and tone.

This matters because ずに does more than match a single English phrase. It shows how the speaker frames the reason, comparison, intention, impossibility, distribution, or expected conclusion in the sentence.

For example:

• In context, it sounds natural when the surrounding sentence supports the nuance.
• Compared with ないで, it has a different focus and level of formality.

ずに vs ないで

Both ずに and ないで can appear in related situations, but they are different.

ずに:

• means without doing
• fits the specific N3 pattern and nuance explained above

ないで:

• ないで is common “without”; ずに is slightly more written or formal

Quick contrast examples:

• Target: 朝ご飯を食べずに学校へ行った。 — I went to school without eating breakfast.
• Compare: Try replacing it with ないで and check whether the nuance still matches.

Common mistakes with ずに

Watch out for these mistakes:

• Using ずに with the wrong form
• Confusing ずに with ないで
• Translating it too literally instead of reading the whole sentence

Is ずに on the JLPT?

Yes. ずに is commonly taught as JLPT N3 grammar.

That means learners should be able to:

• recognize it in reading
• understand its nuance in context
• use it in simple original sentences

Practice questions for ずに

Try making your own sentences with these prompts:

• Write one sentence using ずに.
• Contrast ずに with ないで.
• Make a JLPT-style sentence where the context makes the meaning clear.

Learning path for ずに

To learn ずに efficiently, review the formation first, then compare it with the closest existing grammar point before writing your own sentence.

1. First, make sure you can form ずに without looking at the pattern chart.
2. Next, compare it with ないで and ずにはいられない. These patterns are close enough that choosing between them helps you understand the nuance.
3. Finally, write sentences where the grammar point’s nuance is necessary; then check whether replacing ずに with ないで changes the meaning.

Related grammar to review next

• ないで — because it is the closest comparison used in this article.
• ずにはいられない — because it appears in the same grammar family.

Learn ずに with Hane

If you want to review ずに together with the related patterns above, Hane helps you connect grammar, kanji, and vocabulary in short, focused sessions.

Browse more lessons here:

• All grammar lessons
• JLPT N3 grammar lessons