“〜nai kagiri (wa)”: Unless 〜 / As Long As You Don't 〜 [JLPT N3]

By Nihongo to Japan · Updated July 3, 2026

A chain of inference from a negative condition

“〜nai kagiri (wa)”: Unless 〜, … / As Long As You Don't 〜

「verb ない-form ＋ 限り（は）」 means “unless the first part holds, the second won't change” — “as long as you don't 〜, (it stays) ….” E.g. 「許可を取らない限り、立ち入れない」 (unless you get permission, you can't enter). It marks a necessary condition: until that premise is met, the (usually negative) result continues.

🧠 Core nuance: drawing a line of “unless you cross it, nothing changes”

The core is the sole condition for release: the latter state persists unless the first condition is satisfied. 限り means “limit, bounds,” so ない限り is “within the bounds of ‘not 〜’, it stays….” The tone is “without this premise, forget it,” with the latter clause usually negative (can't, won't, unable), stressing that condition's indispensability.

📌 How to Connect

💬 Example Sentences

• 許可を取らない限り、ここには立ち入れない。(Unless you get permission, you can't enter here.) — necessary condition
• 彼が謝らない限り、私は許さない。(Unless he apologizes, I won't forgive him.) — release condition
• 雨が降らない限り、試合は行われる。(As long as it doesn't rain, the match goes ahead.) — maintained state
• よほどのことがない限り、欠席しません。(Unless something major happens, I won't be absent.) — exception condition
• 本気で練習しない限り、上達は望めない。(Unless you practice seriously, don't expect to improve.) — negative consequence

🔄 Compare: ない限り vs なければ vs ないうちは vs ては

⚠️ Common Mistakes

1. Attaching the dict. form: ✗ 降る限りない → ✓ 降らない限り (ない-form ＋ 限り).
2. Wrong noun connection: nouns use 「noun でない限り」 (本物でない限り), not noun ＋ の限り.
3. An unconditional affirmative latter clause: ない限り is usually followed by negatives (can't/won't) or “unless…then”; an unrelated affirmative is unnatural.
4. Confusing it with affirmative 限り (as long as): 「ある限り (as long as there is)」 is an affirmative condition; 「ない限り」 is negative — opposite meanings.

💡 Nuance & When to Use

ない限り is a common pattern for “unless… , …” — precisely setting necessary or release conditions: unless he apologizes I won't forgive; as long as it doesn't rain the match goes on. It's clear and conditional, fine in speech and writing, common in rules, conditional explanations, and stating positions. Master it (vs なければ・ないうちは) for sharper conditional expression. A must at N3.

🎯 JLPT Exam Tips

• High-frequency N3: verb ない-form ＋ 限り = unless 〜 (latter usually negative).
• Connection: ない-form ＋ 限り; nouns use でない限り.
• Distinction: ない限り (unless) vs ある限り (as long as there is); vs なければ (condition).

🖊️ 練習題（5題）

Q1. 「許可を取らない___、立ち入れない。」（除非取得許可，否則不能進入）

(A) 限り　(B) うちに　(C) ところ　(D) ばかり

Q2. 「ない限り」の前に来る動詞の形は?

(A) ない形　(B) 辭書形　(C) た形　(D) て形

Q3. 「謝らない限り許さない」の意味は?

(A) 除非道歉，否則不原諒

(B) 道歉了也不原諒

(C) 不道歉就原諒

(D) 一定原諒

Q4. 「ない限り」が表すのは?

(A) 除非〜否則（必要條件，後件多否定）

(B) 雖然不〜卻

(C) 因為不〜所以

(D) 一邊不〜一邊

Q5. 接法が正しいのは?

(A) 雨が降らない限り、行く。　(B) 雨が降る限りない、行く。

(C) 雨が降らないの限り。　(D) 雨が降って限り。

答案解析

1. (A) 限り ── 除非取得許可否則不能進入。

2. (A) ない形 ── 動詞ない形＋限り。

3. (A) ── 除非道歉否則不原諒。

4. (A) ── 除非〜否則(必要條件)。

5. (A) ── ない形＋限り(降らない＋限り)。