“shizen ni / shizen to” Meaning — Naturally / Without Trying [JLPT N3]
Content by NTJ Kuma · Nihongo to Japan editorial team · Updated July 27, 2026
“Tears came naturally” — something happening on its own without effort, with examples. (JLPT N3)
「毎日使えば、単語は自然に覚える」 — 「自然に・自然と」, naturally, without realizing
「毎日使っていれば、単語は自然に覚えるよ」 (if you use them daily, you'll learn the words naturally) — 「自然に (しぜんに)・自然と (しぜんと)」 are adverbs meaning “naturally, without realizing, without effort.” The core is “not through effort or intent, but taking its own course.” This guide covers 「自然に／自然と」's feel and use, and separates them from 「勝手に／ひとりでに／思わず」.
Core: not through intent, but taking its own course
The core of 「自然に・自然と」 is “unintentional, taking its course” — not caused by effort or on purpose, but the result of natural evolution over time/circumstance:
- Habit formation: 毎日使えば、単語は自然に覚える (use them daily and you learn the words naturally).
- Emotion welling up: 感動して、自然と涙が出た (so moved that tears came naturally).
- A relationship/state evolving: 長く住むと、敬語が自然と口から出る (live somewhere long and keigo comes out naturally).
Feel: “without realizing, letting it take its course” — no effort, yet it happens naturally.
How to Connect
| Form | Feel | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 自然に ＋ verb | naturally (neutral) | 自然に覚える （you pick it up naturally） |
| 自然と ＋ verb | naturally (a bit emotional) | 自然と涙が出る （tears come of their own accord） |
| 自然に治る | on its own (no external force) | 傷が自然に治る （the wound heals on its own） |
Examples in context
- 毎日使っていれば、単語は自然に覚えるよ。(Use them daily and you'll learn the words naturally.) — taking its course
- 日本に長く住んでいると、敬語が自然と口から出る。(Live in Japan long and keigo comes out naturally.) — acquisition
- 感動して、自然と涙が出てきた。(So moved that tears came naturally.) — emotion welling up
- 時間がたてば、自然に忘れていく。(With time, you naturally forget.) — evolution
- 軽い風邪なら、自然に治るよ。(A mild cold will heal on its own.) — on its own
⚠️ Where learners slip up
① 「自然に」 (naturally, neutral/positive) vs 「勝手に」 (arbitrarily, negative). Both can render as “on its own,” but their feel is opposite! 自然に = naturally, taking its course (neutral/positive, no ‘shouldn't' sense) (傷が自然に治る = the wound heals on its own); 勝手に = arbitrarily, without permission (negative, with a ‘shouldn't, yet …' reproach) (人の物を勝手に使う = use someone's things without asking). For “happening naturally (good/neutral)” use 自然に; for “arbitrarily (shouldn't)” use 勝手に — don't reverse them.
② Don't mistake 「自然に」 for 「of course, naturally (obviously)」. Chinese “自然” can sometimes mean “of course,” but Japanese 「自然に」 only means ‘happening naturally,' not ‘of course, obviously.' For “of course,” Japanese uses 「当然 (とうぜん)」「もちろん」. ✗ 彼は自然に来る (to mean “of course he'll come” is wrong) → ○ 彼は当然来る.
③ 「自然に」 vs 「ひとりでに」 (on its own, no external force) vs 「思わず」 (involuntarily, reflexive). 自然に = naturally (following a course); ひとりでに = (a thing) moving on its own, no human force (ドアがひとりでに開いた = the door opened on its own); 思わず = involuntarily, reflexively (instant, momentary) (思わず声を上げた = let out a cry involuntarily). 自然に is “gradual and natural,” ひとりでに is “automatic without force,” 思わず is “an instant reflex.”
🔄 Compare: 自然に／勝手に／ひとりでに／思わず
| Form | Feel | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 自然に/自然と | naturally (neutral, taking its course) | 自然に覚える （you pick it up naturally） |
| 勝手に | arbitrarily (negative, without permission) | 勝手に使う |
| ひとりでに | on its own (no force, a thing moving) | ひとりでに開く |
| 思わず | involuntarily (instant reflex) | 思わず笑う |
💡 An exam judgment tip
The core of 「自然に・自然と」 is “not through intent, but taking its own course, happening as things naturally develop” — 毎日使えば自然に覚える (use daily and learn naturally), 感動して自然と涙が出る (so moved tears come naturally), 住み慣れると自然と… (get used to living and naturally …). It's a neutral/positive “without realizing, taking its course.” Three points: ① opposite to 「勝手に (arbitrarily, negative)」 — 自然に has no “shouldn't” sense; ② not the same as “of course, obviously” (that's 当然/もちろん); ③ different in feel from ひとりでに (no force) and 思わず (instant reflex). 「自然に」 is neutral, works in speech and writing; 「自然と」 is a bit emotional, more colloquial (自然と涙が…). For “habit formation, taking its course,” 自然に is spot-on.
❓ Common questions
Q: How do I tell 「自然に」 from 「勝手に」? (both render as ‘on its own')
Opposite feel! By neutral/positive vs negative (reproachful). 「自然に」 = naturally, taking its course (neutral or positive, no ‘shouldn't' sense, a good or neutral natural development): 時間がたてば、痛みは自然に消える (with time, the pain fades on its own — neutral evolution), 毎日練習すれば、自然に上達する (practice daily and you naturally improve — positive), 傷は自然に治った (the wound healed on its own — neutral). It's “happening by a natural course,” no negativity. 「勝手に」 = arbitrarily, willfully, without permission (negative, with a ‘shouldn't, yet …' reproach or displeasure): 人の日記を勝手に読む (read someone's diary without asking — shouldn't), 勝手に決めないで (don't decide arbitrarily — reproach), 彼は勝手に帰った (he just left on his own — displeasure). It carries a negative “without consent, willful.” So: “natural development (neutral/positive)” → 自然に; “arbitrarily (negative, should have asked but didn't)” → 勝手に. 「ドアが自然に閉まった」 = the door closed naturally (of its own momentum, neutral); 「彼が勝手にドアを閉めた」 = he shut the door on his own (negative). One is “taking its course,” the other “willful/arbitrary” — one positive, one negative; don't reverse them.
Q: What's the difference between 「自然に」 and 「自然と」?
Almost the same meaning (both “naturally”), differing in feel and register, often interchangeable. 「自然に」 = more neutral, works in writing and speech: 傷が自然に治る (the wound heals on its own — common in explanations, textbooks, product descriptions), 自然に理解できる (you come to understand naturally). It's neutral, objective, broad in range. 「自然と」 = a bit more emotional, more colloquial, often for a ‘without realizing' spontaneous change: 自然と笑顔になる (you break into a smile without realizing), 自然と足が向く (your feet head there without thinking), 自然と涙が出た (tears came naturally). It carries more of an “involuntary, without realizing” flavor, mostly for emotions, bodily reactions, spontaneous habits. So: neutral, general (incl. expository writing) → 自然に; with an ‘unaware, spontaneous' emotion → 自然と. Many sentences take either (単語が自然に／自然と覚える), only that 「自然と」 is more colloquial and has more of an “involuntary” feel.
🖊️ Practice Questions (5)
Q1. 「毎日使っていれば、___覚えるよ。」(you'll naturally remember it)
(A) 自然に (B) 勝手に (C) わざと (D) せっかく
Q2. 「感動して、___涙が出た。」(tears came unbidden)
(A) 自然と (B) わざと (C) 無理に (D) せっかく
Q3. 「自然と忘れていく」の意味は?
(A) Naturally, unconsciously fading from memory
(B) Deliberately forgetting
(C) Never forgetting
(D) Forcing oneself to forget
Q4. 「自然と」と「勝手に」の違いは?
(A) 自然と＝naturally (neutral); 勝手に＝on one's own / arbitrarily (often negative)
(B) The two are exactly the same
(C) 自然と＝arbitrarily
(D) 勝手に＝naturally
Q5. 用法が自然なのは?
(A) 体は自然に回復した。 (B) 自然に勝手に壊した。
(C) わざと自然と笑う。 (D) 自然とを覚える。
Answer Explanations
1. (A) 自然に ── You'll naturally remember it.
2. (A) 自然と ── Tears came unbidden.
3. (A) ── Naturally fading from memory.
4. (A) ── 自然と neutral; 勝手に negative.
5. (A) ── 「自然に回復した」is natural.