“〜zu ni・nai de”: Without Doing 〜 (in the state of not having done something) [JLPT N3]
Content by NTJ Kuma · Nihongo to Japan editorial team · Updated July 27, 2026
“left without saying anything,” “came without eating breakfast” — doing one thing while not having done another
「朝ごはんを食べずに、家を出た」 — without doing the first, doing the next
「今朝は急いでいて、朝ごはんを食べずに、家を出た」 (I was rushing this morning and left home without eating breakfast) — 「〜ずに／〜ないで」 expresses “without doing ～, (then) ～; in a state of not having ～”: the prior action isn't done, and the next thing proceeds. 「ずに」 is the written version of 「ないで」. This guide covers both, their attachment and the 「せずに」 exception, separating it from the causal 「なくて」.
Core: without doing ～, (then) ～ (ずに = the written version of ないで)
「verb nai-form minus 「ない」 ＋ ずに」 = 「verb nai-form ＋ ないで」 = “without doing ～, (then) ～; ～-lessly” — the prior action not done, then the second proceeds, or the second proceeds in a “not having done the prior” state:
- 傘を持たずに（＝持たないで）出かけて、雨に濡れた (went out without an umbrella and got rained on).
- 何も言わずに、部屋を出て行った (left the room without saying anything).
Feel: “without ～, then …／～-lessly …” — the core is “in a state of ‘not having done the prior action,' the second was done.” 「ずに」 is more written, formal, 「ないで」 more colloquial; same meaning.
Attachment & the 「せずに」 exception
| Verb | nai-form minus ない ＋ ずに | ＝ ないで |
|---|---|---|
| 食べる | 食べずに | 食べないで |
| 行く | 行かずに | 行かないで |
| する | せずに (exception) | しないで |
| 来る | 来（こ）ずに | 来ないで |
Examples in use
- 予習もせずに、授業に出た。(I attended class without even preparing.) — せずに exception
- 誰にも相談せずに、一人で決めた。(I decided alone, without consulting anyone.)
- 電気を消さずに寝てしまった。(I fell asleep without turning off the light.)
- 彼は謝らないで、帰ってしまった。(He went home without apologizing.) — colloquial ないで
- 砂糖を入れずに、コーヒーを飲む。(I drink coffee without adding sugar.)
⚠️ Common mistakes to avoid
① 「する」's negative attachment is 「せずに」, not 「しずに」. The most-erred point. する→せずに (○, using the classical 「せ」); しずに (×). E.g., 勉強せずに (without studying); 返事せずに (without replying); 気にせずに (never mind). 「来る」 is 「来（こ）ずに」 (○). 「ずに」 inherits classical grammar, so する and 来る use classical changes — don't apply the ordinary 「し・き」.
② 「ずに」 is written, 「ないで」 colloquial, same meaning. Interchangeable, differing in register. 「ずに」 leans written, formal, stiff (writing, speeches, dignified: 何も言わずに去った); 「ないで」 leans colloquial, everyday (conversation: 宿題しないで遊んだ). In writing ずに reads concise, in daily talk ないで is natural. For dignified writing use ずに, for casual speech ないで.
③ Don't confuse 「ないで」 (without doing…, then) with 「なくて」 (because not…／not… and). Both are negative te-forms, different uses. 「ないで」 = without doing A (then B)／A-lessly (attendant circumstance, action link) (傘を持たないで出かけた = went out without an umbrella — action link); 「なくて」 = because not A (cause)／not A and (juxtaposition) (お金がなくて、買えない = can't buy it because I have no money — cause). For “then do the next action” use ないで／ずに, for “because not …” use なくて.
🔄 Nuance & comparison: ずに／ないで／なくて／〜ず（に）
| Form | Feel | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 〜ずに | without doing ～, then ～ (written, ＝ ないで) | 食べずに出た （left without eating (formal/written)） |
| 〜ないで | without doing ～, then ～／don't ～ (colloquial) | 食べないで出た （left without eating） |
| 〜なくて | because not ～／not ～ and (cause, juxtaposition) | お金がなくて困る （it's a problem that I have no money） |
| 〜ず (no に) | without ～-ing (more classical, mid-clause pause) | 迷わず進む |
💡 Quick takeaway
「〜ずに／〜ないで」 = without doing ～, (then) ～; in a state of not having ～, made by turning the verb into its nai-form, dropping 「ない」, then ＋ ずに (食べない→食べずに). 「ずに」 is the written version of 「ないで」; same meaning. Three points: ① the key exception: する→「せずに」 (not しずに), 来る→「来ずに」 — memorize them; ② ずに written, ないで colloquial — writing uses ずに, chat uses ないで; ③ separate from 「なくて」 — ずに／ないで is “without doing A, do B” (action link), なくて is “because not A” (cause). To express “without doing the prior, directly did the next,” ずに (written)／ないで (colloquial) is the most fitting.
❓ Common questions
Q: Why is 「する」's negative 「せずに」, not 「しずに」?
Because 「〜ずに」 inherits classical grammar, and 「する」's classical irrealis (未然形) is 「せ」 (not the modern 「し」), so with 「ず」 it's 「せず」, plus 「に」 → 「せずに」. This is a fixed exception, must be memorized: 勉強せずに (without studying); 準備せずに (without preparing); 確認せずに (without confirming); 気にせずに (never mind). Likewise, 「来る」's classical irrealis is 「こ」, so it's 「来（こ）ずに」 (without coming). These two (する→せずに, 来る→こずに) are 「ずに」's most-tested, most-erred attachments. Memory aid: 「ずに」 is rather classical, so する and 来る also use classical changes (せ, こ), not the colloquial 「し, き」. Conversely, the colloquial 「ないで」 uses ordinary changes: しないで, 来（こ）ないで. So for the same 「する」: written 「せずに」, colloquial 「しないで」 — both correct; don't blend them into 「しずに」 (×).
Q: 「ないで」 and 「なくて」 are both negative te-forms — how do I tell them apart?
By function: 「ないで」 marks ‘without doing A (then B)／A-lessly (attendant state),' linking actions; 「なくて」 marks ‘because not A (cause)' or ‘not A and (juxtaposition).' 「〜ないで」 = in a state of not doing A (then B), or an action link: 朝ごはんを食べないで、学校へ行った (went to school without eating breakfast — going in a “not eaten” state, action link); 電気を消さないで寝た (slept without turning off the light). Its point is “A not done, then/and B was done.” 「〜なくて」 = because not A (cause, reason), or a juxtaposition stating ‘not A': バスが来なくて、遅刻した (the bus didn't come, so I was late — “bus not coming” is the cause of lateness); お金がなくて、旅行に行けない (can't travel because I have no money — cause). Its point is “because not A, (so) it led to B.” Test: if the follow-up is “(without doing A) did B,” an action link → ないで／ずに; if it's “because not A, so B (a result/emotion),” cause-effect → なくて. E.g., 「傘を持たないで出かけた」 = went out without an umbrella (action link); 「傘がなくて、濡れた」 = got wet because I had no umbrella (cause). One is “without doing …,” one “because not ….”
🖊️ Practice Questions (5)
Q1. 「朝ごはんを___に学校へ行った。」(ずに-form: went without eating)
(A) 食べず (B) 食べない (C) 食べなく (D) 食べて
Q2. 「確認___送ってしまった。」(special ずに form: する→)
(A) しずに (B) せずに (C) しないずに (D) せないで
Q3. What is the difference between 「ずに」 and 「ないで」?
(A) ずに is negative; ないで is affirmative
(B) ずに is literary/written; ないで is colloquial/everyday (same meaning)
(C) ずに attaches to verbs only; ないで also attaches to nouns
(D) The two are completely different and cannot be substituted
Q4. 「その映画を見ると、泣か___にはいられない。」(can't help it)
(A) ない (B) ず (C) なく (D) て
Q5. 「傘を持た___、外に出た。」(went out without an umbrella; formal/written tone)
(A) ずに (B) ずで (C) なくて (D) ないでは
Answer Explanations
1. (A) 食べず ── 「食べずに」: 食べる→食べない→drop ない→食べず + に.
2. (B) せずに ── The ずに form of する is an irregular change: する→せずに (not しずに).
3. (B) ずに is literary; ないで is colloquial (same meaning) ── The core difference is formality of tone; the meaning is exactly the same.
4. (B) ず ── 「泣かずにはいられない」; ずにはいられない is a fixed idiomatic pattern.
5. (A) ずに ── 「傘を持たずに外に出た」(went out without an umbrella) = verb ない-form stem ＋ ずに, expressing “doing another action while not doing ~” (written/formal). (B) ずで doesn't exist, (C) なくて leans causal, (D) ないでは means “if not ~, then.”