〜ず: This means 'without doing something'. It also means 'instead of doing something'. You use it to join two parts of a sentence.

〜ず

This means 'without doing something'. It also means 'instead of doing something'. You use it to join two parts of a sentence.

N2 KMT7FormalStandardClassical InflectionMixedClassicalWithout Recourse To FormalGrammar

Verb + ずPrimary

This means 'without doing something'. It also means 'instead of doing something'. You use it to join two parts of a sentence.

彼は何も言わず、部屋を出て行った。

He left the room without saying anything.

NeutralPastAffirmativeMid SentenceDeclarativeDaily Life

詳細を確認せず、契約書にサインしてはいけません。

You must not sign the contract without confirming the details.

PoliteNon PastNegativeMid SentenceProhibitionBusiness & Finance Work & Career

彼は食事もとらず、一日中研究に没頭していた。

He was absorbed in his research all day, without even taking a meal.

NeutralPastAffirmativeMid SentenceDeclarativeEducation Science & Math

待ち合わせの時間を過ぎても、彼はまだ来ず。

Even after the meeting time passed, he still hadn't come.

FormalNon PastAffirmativeSentence EndingDeclarativeDaily Life

応援の甲斐もなく、我々のチームは勝てず、ついに敗退した。

Despite our cheering, our team couldn't win and was finally eliminated.

FormalPastAffirmativeMid SentenceDeclarativeSports & Martial Arts

This grammar rule uses old Japanese verb forms. To make it, take the verb's "nai-form." Then, remove "nai" and add "zu." For example, "yomu" becomes "yomazu." But "suru" changes to "sezu." And "kuru" changes to "kozu."

This is like saying "without doing" something. It is more formal than "〜ないで". For example, "食べずに寝た" is more formal than "食べないで寝た". Both mean "I went to bed without eating". It is also different from "〜なしに". "〜なしに" follows nouns. But "〜ず" attaches right to a verb.

Don't use this when you end a sentence. For example, don't say "彼は来ず" (He didn't come). This sounds old. Don't use this to describe a noun. For example, don't say "来ず人" (a person who didn't come). This is wrong).

Contrasts with(1)

〜ん

This word means 'not'. It is a short, spoken way to say 'not'. People use it in everyday talk.

More formal alternatives(1)

〜ずに

This means you do one thing but do not do another thing. It is like saying 'without doing something else'.

Less formal alternatives(4)

〜ずして

This means 'without doing something.' It shows something happened even though an action was not done.

〜ことなしに

This means 'without doing something.' It shows that something else happened even though the first thing did not.

〜ぬ

This is an old way to say "not." It means the same as the modern "〜ない."

〜ざる

This is an old way to say "not" before a noun. It is like saying "~nai + Noun" today.

ない形

This is how you make a verb negative. It means "do not" or "will not." It is the casual way to say 〜ません.

〜ずに

This means you do one thing but do not do another thing. It is like saying 'without doing something else'.

〜ないで

This means you do something without doing another thing. It is like saying 'without doing X' or 'instead of doing X'.

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Dictionary

〜ず

This means 'without doing something'. It also means 'instead of doing something'. You use it to join two parts of a sentence.

N2 KMT7FormalStandardClassical InflectionMixedClassicalWithout Recourse To FormalGrammar

Verb + ずPrimary

This means 'without doing something'. It also means 'instead of doing something'. You use it to join two parts of a sentence.

彼は何も言わず、部屋を出て行った。

He left the room without saying anything.

NeutralPastAffirmativeMid SentenceDeclarativeDaily Life

詳細を確認せず、契約書にサインしてはいけません。

You must not sign the contract without confirming the details.

PoliteNon PastNegativeMid SentenceProhibitionBusiness & Finance Work & Career

彼は食事もとらず、一日中研究に没頭していた。

He was absorbed in his research all day, without even taking a meal.

NeutralPastAffirmativeMid SentenceDeclarativeEducation Science & Math

待ち合わせの時間を過ぎても、彼はまだ来ず。

Even after the meeting time passed, he still hadn't come.

FormalNon PastAffirmativeSentence EndingDeclarativeDaily Life

応援の甲斐もなく、我々のチームは勝てず、ついに敗退した。

Despite our cheering, our team couldn't win and was finally eliminated.

FormalPastAffirmativeMid SentenceDeclarativeSports & Martial Arts

Contrasts with(1)

〜ん

This word means 'not'. It is a short, spoken way to say 'not'. People use it in everyday talk.

More formal alternatives(1)

〜ずに

This means you do one thing but do not do another thing. It is like saying 'without doing something else'.

Less formal alternatives(4)

〜ずして

This means 'without doing something.' It shows something happened even though an action was not done.

〜ことなしに

This means 'without doing something.' It shows that something else happened even though the first thing did not.

〜ぬ

This is an old way to say "not." It means the same as the modern "〜ない."

〜ざる

This is an old way to say "not" before a noun. It is like saying "~nai + Noun" today.

ない形

This is how you make a verb negative. It means "do not" or "will not." It is the casual way to say 〜ません.

〜ずに

This means you do one thing but do not do another thing. It is like saying 'without doing something else'.

〜ないで

This means you do something without doing another thing. It is like saying 'without doing X' or 'instead of doing X'.

Track your mastery

Kumi's KMT system tracks your mastery across kanji, vocabulary, grammar, and reading. Create a free account to use it on 220,000+ concepts.

〜ず

Patterns1

Meaning

Examples5

Nuance1

Contrasts1

Restrictions1

Compare with6

Contrasts with(1)

More formal alternatives(1)

Less formal alternatives(4)

Prerequisites3

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〜ず

Patterns1

Meaning

Examples5

Nuance1

Contrasts1

Restrictions1

Compare with6

Contrasts with(1)

More formal alternatives(1)

Less formal alternatives(4)

Prerequisites3

Track your mastery