JLPT N4

～ないで

Without doing; Don't do

Structure

Verb ない-form + で

How it works

This grammar point has two main uses: it can express 'without doing X' when connecting two clauses, or it can be a relatively soft command meaning 'please don't do X'.

Examples

朝ごはんを食べないで学校へ行きました。

I went to school without eating breakfast.

Common mistakes

Confusing it with '～ないでください' (please don't), as '～ないで' alone as a command can sound a bit blunt.

Tip

The 'ない' indicates negation, and 'で' connects it. For commands, it's followed by nothing or 'ください'.

More JLPT N4 grammar

ようにするようになるそうだ (appearance)そうだ (hearsay)ようだらしいかもしれないてしまう

See ～ないで in real Japanese

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