connective N4 essential casualpolitewritten

ないで — without ~ing / don't ~

ないで

Builds on ない形

Meaning

① without ~ing: without doing ~ — the next action happens in the absence of this one

② don't ~ (request): don't ~ — a soft, casual negative request

Key sentence

① without ~ing

朝あさごはんを食たべないで学校がっこうへ行いった。

I went to school without eating breakfast.

② don't ~ (request)

そんなに泣なかないで。

Don't cry like that.

Formation

Attaches to	Form	Example
Verb (ない-form)	〜ない + で	行いかない → 行いかないで

Examples

① without ~ing

電気でんきを消けさないで寝ねてしまった。

I fell asleep without turning off the light.

辞書じしょを使つかわないで読よんでみよう。

Let's try reading without using a dictionary.

② don't ~ (request)

心配しんぱいしないで、大丈夫だいじょうぶだよ。

Don't worry — it's fine.

ここで写真しゃしんを撮とらないで。

Don't take photos here.

When you can't use it

For a cause or reason ('isn't ~, so ...'), use なくて, not ないで: 時間じかんがなくて行いけなかった (had no time, so couldn't go) — not 〜ないで.

Easily confused with

なくてないで modifies how an action is done ('without ~ing') or makes a request. なくて gives a reason or links a negative state ('not ~, so ...'). ないでください The bare ないで request is casual. Add ください for the polite version: 入はいらないでください (please don't enter).

See ないで in real sentences

Jengo shows ないで the way you actually meet it: inside real Japanese sentences, so it sticks instead of staying an abstract rule.

Study it in Jengo

Sources Compiled with reference to A Dictionary of Advanced Japanese Grammar, A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar, A Dictionary of Intermediate Japanese Grammar.

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