conditional N2 uncommon politewritten
なしでは — without ~ (there can be no ~)
なしでは
Builds on なしで
Meaning
- without ~, … not / there can be no ~ without — marks the named thing as indispensable, with a negative main clause
Key sentence
水なしでは、人間は生きられない。
Without water, humans cannot live.
Formation
| Attaches to | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun + なしでは（emphatic は on なしで） | N なしでは（main clause negative） | 協力なしでは / 努力なしでは |
Examples
君の協力なしでは、この計画は成り立たない。
Without your cooperation, this plan can't come together.
努力なしでは、成功は望めない。
Without effort, you can't hope for success.
When you can't use it
- Takes a NOUN, and the main clause is negative (cannot / not possible) — the は frames the noun as a necessary condition. For 'without ~ing,' use the verb forms ないで／ずに.
Easily confused with
See なしでは in real sentences
Jengo shows なしでは the way you actually meet it: inside real Japanese sentences, so it sticks instead of staying an abstract rule.
Study it in JengoSources Compiled with reference to A Dictionary of Advanced Japanese Grammar. Editorial confidence: medium.