“〜iu made mo nai・〜wa iu made mo naku”: Needless to Say, It Goes Without Saying [JLPT N2]
By Nihongo to Japan · Updated July 3, 2026
「健康が大切なのは言うまでもない」「努力が必要なのは言うまでもなく」 — a high-frequency N2 assertive expression.
“〜iu made mo nai・〜wa iu made mo naku”: Needless to Say, It Goes Without Saying
「(plain form/noun) ＋ ことは言うまでもない／〜は言うまでもなく」 means “needless to say, it goes without saying, as a matter of course” — something so obvious it needs no special mention. E.g. 「努力が大切なのは言うまでもない」 (needless to say, effort is important), 「健康は言うまでもなく、時間も大切だ」 (health goes without saying, and time is important too). ⚠️ 「言うまでもない」 goes at the sentence end (an assertion); 「言うまでもなく」 goes mid-sentence (followed by an addition: A goes without saying, and B too…). ⚠️ Contrast with 「当然だ」: 言うまでもない = more written, stressing ‘obvious, needs no saying'; 当然だ = more colloquial, ‘naturally'. A high-frequency N2 assertive expression.
🧠 Core nuance: so obvious it needs no special mention
The core is something so obvious, so natural, it needs no special mention (goes without saying): 「言うまでもない／言うまでもなく」 stresses ‘… needs no saying, goes without saying, is obvious' (努力が大切なのは言うまでもない = effort's importance goes without saying, 彼の実力は言うまでもない = his ability needs no saying). ⚠️ Two forms: ① 「〜は言うまでもない」 — at the sentence end, asserting something obvious (健康が大切なのは言うまでもない); ② 「〜は言うまでもなく」 — mid-sentence (connecting), ‘A goes without saying, and (let alone/moreover) B too…' (健康は言うまでもなく、時間も大切だ = health goes without saying, and time is important too). ⚠️ Contrast with 「当然だ」: 「言うまでもない」 = more written, stressing ‘obvious, needs no special mention'; 「当然だ」 = more colloquial, ‘naturally', close in meaning but 言うまでもない is more written, stressing ‘no need to say.' ⚠️ Connection: plain form/noun (＋ことは/のは) ＋ 言うまでもない. ⚠️ 「に他ならない」 (it's precisely, none other than), 「に違いない」 (must be) are different assertions — don't confuse. An N2 pattern for assertion, the obvious.
📌 How to Connect
| Form | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 〜は言うまでもない | 〜 needs no saying (sentence-end assertion) | 大切なのは言うまでもない |
| 〜は言うまでもなく | 〜 goes without saying (mid-sentence connecting) | 健康は言うまでもなく、〜 |
| noun ＋ は言うまでもない | 〜 needs no saying | 実力は言うまでもない |
💬 Example Sentences
- 努力が大切なのは言うまでもない。(Needless to say, effort is important.) — sentence-end assertion
- 健康は言うまでもなく、心の安定も大切だ。(Health goes without saying, and mental stability is important too.) — mid-sentence connecting
- 彼の実力は言うまでもなく、人柄も素晴らしい。(His ability goes without saying, and his character is wonderful too.) — connecting (let alone)
- このレストランの料理がおいしいのは言うまでもない。(Needless to say, this restaurant's food is delicious.) — assertion
- 準備が大事なのは言うまでもないことだ。(That preparation matters goes without saying.) — obvious
🔄 Compare: 言うまでもない vs 当然だ vs に他ならない vs に違いない
| Expression | Nuance | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 〜言うまでもない | “needless to say, goes without saying” (obvious, written) | 大切なのは言うまでもない |
| 〜当然だ | “naturally” (more colloquial) | 怒るのは当然だ |
| 〜に他ならない | “it's precisely, none other than” (an emphatic assertion) | 努力の結果に他ならない |
| 〜に違いない | “must be 〜” (strong inference) | 犯人に違いない |
⚠️ Common Mistakes
- 言うまでもない vs 言うまでもなく: 言うまでもない goes at the sentence end (assertion); 言うまでもなく goes mid-sentence (connecting: A goes without saying, and B too…).
- Distinguish from 当然だ: 言うまでもない = more written, stressing ‘no need to say'; 当然だ = more colloquial, ‘naturally.'
- Connection: plain form/noun (＋ことは/のは) ＋ 言うまでもない.
- Don't confuse with に他ならない: 言うまでもない = needless to say; に他ならない = it's precisely, none other than.
💡 Nuance & When to Use
「言うまでもない／言うまでもなく」 mean “needless to say, it goes without saying, as a matter of course,” something so obvious it needs no special mention (努力が大切なのは言うまでもない). 言うまでもない goes at the sentence end (assertion), 言うまでもなく goes mid-sentence (connecting: A goes without saying, and B too…). ⚠️ More written than the colloquial 「当然だ」, stressing ‘obvious, no need to say.' Distinguish from the ‘precisely' に他ならない and the ‘must be' に違いない. A high-frequency N2 assertive expression. A must.
🎯 JLPT Exam Tips
- High-frequency N2: 〜は言うまでもない (sentence-end assertion), 〜は言うまでもなく (mid-sentence connecting) = needless to say, goes without saying.
- Core distinction: 言うまでもない (obvious, written, stressing no need to say) vs 当然だ (naturally, more colloquial).
- Position: 言うまでもない at the sentence end, 言うまでもなく mid-sentence (followed by an addition).
🖊️ Practice Quiz
Q1. 「努力が大切なのは___。」(it goes without saying that effort is important — assertion)
(A) 当然だ (B) 言うまでもない (C) に他ならない (D) にすぎない
Q2. 「健康は___、時間も大切だ。」(health goes without saying, and time is important too)
(A) 言うまでもなく (B) 言うまでもない (C) 当然で (D) もちろんなく
Q3. What's the biggest difference between 「言うまでもない」 and 「当然だ」?
(A) totally different meaning
(B) 言うまでもない: more written/emphatic; 当然だ: also usable colloquially
(C) 当然だ has no negative form
(D) 言うまでもない is present-only
Q4. When is 「言うまでもなく」 used?
(A) alone at the sentence-end
(B) mid-sentence, with an additional point following
(C) in questions
(D) only for past events
Q5. 「成功の秘訣は努力___。」(the secret of success is none other than effort — strong assertion)
(A) にすぎない (B) に他ならない (C) 言うまでもない (D) に違いない
Answer Key
1. (B) 言うまでもない ── 言うまでもない = it goes without saying (a self-evident truth). 当然だ also works but 言うまでもない is more written/emphatic.
2. (A) 言うまでもなく ── 〜は言うまでもなく、… = … goes without saying, and … (mid-sentence, adverbial).
3. (B) ── 言うまでもない is more written/emphatic; 当然だ is also colloquial.
4. (B) ── 言うまでもなく is used mid-sentence, with an additional point following.
5. (B) に他ならない ── 努力に他ならない = none other than effort (a strong assertion).