JLPT N4ComparisonUpdated 2026-09-25

〜ないで vs 〜なくて vs 〜ずに naide · nakute · zu ni

〜ないで and 〜ずに often mean “without doing”; 〜なくて commonly connects a negative state to a reason or result. 食べないで出かけた describes leaving without eating. 食べなくて困った explains trouble caused by not eating. ずに is a more formal alternative to ないで, although it can also introduce a reason in some contexts; する becomes せずに.

also written nai de / zuni

without doing · and so, because not · without doing (written)

Sentences

6 sentences, word by word

without doing it

polite

。

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朝ごはん

あさごはん［3］

breakfast

noun · 朝 morning ＋ご飯 meal

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を

marks the direct object

particle · pronounced お

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食べないで

たべないで

without eating

ない-form ＋で · describes how the next action was carried out

〜ないでN4without doing

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出かけました

でかけました

went out

polite past of 出かける · a deliberate action, which is what selects ないで

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I left the house without eating breakfast.

and so this happened

polite

、。

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朝ごはん

あさごはん［3］

breakfast

noun · unchanged from the sentence above

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を

marks the direct object

particle · pronounced お

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食べなくて

たべなくて

because I didn't eat

ない → なくて · gives the reason for whatever follows

〜なくてN4because not

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力

ちから［3］

strength; energy

noun · 力が出る is the set phrase for having energy

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が

marks the subject

particle · what the sentence is about — with 好き, 分かる and potentials, the object

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出ませんでした

でませんでした

didn't come out

polite past negative of 出る · not something you chose, which is the なくて test

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I didn't eat, so I had no energy.

an adjective, so there's no choice

polite

、。

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部屋

へや［2］

room

noun · 部 section ＋屋 building

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が

marks the subject

particle · what the sentence is about — with 好き, 分かる and potentials, the object

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静かじゃなくて

しずかじゃなくて

wasn't quiet, and so

な-adjective ＋じゃなくて · adjectives have no ないで form at all

〜なくてN4because not

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集中できませんでした

しゅうちゅうできませんでした

couldn't concentrate

potential negative of 集中する · an inability, so なくて is the only fit

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The room wasn't quiet, so I couldn't concentrate.

the negative request

polite

。

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ここ

ここ［0］

here

demonstrative · で because running happens here

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で

in; at — where it happens

particle · where the action happens, or the manner it happens in

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走らないで

はしらないで

don't run

ない-form ＋で · requests are always ないで, never なくて

〜ないでくださいN4please don't

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ください

please (do)

polite request · from くださる

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Please don't run in here.

the written form

plain

。

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何も

なにも［1］

nothing (with a negative)

pronoun ＋も · always paired with a negative later in the sentence

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言わずに

いわずに

without saying

ない-stem 言わ＋ずに · the written twin of 言わないで

〜ずにN4without doing

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部屋

へや［2］

room

noun · を because it is the space being exited

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を

marks the direct object

particle · pronounced お

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出て行った

でていった

left; went out

て-form ＋行く · the going-away direction is in 行く

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He left the room without saying a word.

the same sentence, out loud

plain

。

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何も

なにも［1］

nothing (with a negative)

pronoun ＋も · unchanged from the sentence above

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言わないで

いわないで

without saying

ない-form ＋で · identical meaning to 言わずに, one register down

〜ないでN4without doing

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部屋

へや［2］

room

noun · same as above

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を

marks the direct object

particle · pronounced お

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出て行った

でていった

left; went out

て-form ＋行く · same verb, same tense

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He left the room without saying a word.

Structure

How do you form ないで, なくて and ずに?

Verb［ない-form］＋で

食べない → 食べないで. Verbs only. This is the one that means “without doing,” and the one ください attaches to.

Verb［ない］→なくて

食べない → 食べなくて. Swap the final い for くて. This one gives a reason, and what follows is usually out of your hands.

Adj［く］／Noun じゃ＋なくて

静かじゃなくて, 高くなくて. Adjectives and nouns have no ないで at all, so there is nothing to choose between.

Verb［ない-stem］＋ずに

言わない → 言わずに. Same meaning as ないで, one register up. する is irregular: せずに.

Meaning

What's the difference between ないで, なくて and ずに?

Look at the clause after the comma. That is where the answer is.

ないで means the next thing was a choice. 朝ごはんを食べないで出かけました — I left, and I did it breakfastless. The negative describes the manner of an action you took. English has the same shape: “without eating, I left.”

なくて means the next thing happened to you. 食べなくて、力が出ませんでした — I didn't eat, and as a result I had no energy. Nobody chose the second half. This is why なくて is followed so often by 困った, 心配した, 残念だ.

The negative て-form of adjectives and noun predicates is なくて. 静かじゃなくて, 高くなくて. There is no 静かじゃないで. Half the confusion disappears once you notice the choice only exists for verbs.

ずに is ないで in writing. 何も言わずに出て行った and 何も言わないで出て行った mean the same thing; the first belongs in a novel, the second in a conversation. The one trap is する, which becomes せずに.

Watch out

Where does this go wrong?

なくてください

It does not exist. Negative requests are always 〜ないでください — 写真を撮らないでください. This is the single most common slip on this point, and the good news is that it is a hard rule with no exceptions.

Reaching for ないで with adjectives

高くないで and 静かじゃないで are not Japanese. Adjectives and nouns only form なくて. The choice between the two negatives is a verb-only problem.

しずに instead of せずに

する is irregular here: 連絡せずに, not 連絡しずに. Every 〜する compound inherits it, so this comes up constantly — 勉強せずに, 確認せずに.

Also asked

Questions people ask about ないで, なくて and ずに

Is there a quick test for choosing between them?

Look at the second clause and ask whether anyone chose it. Chosen action → ないで. A feeling, an inability, or something that just happened → なくて. 寝ないで勉強した versus 寝なくて眠い.

Can I always replace ないで with ずに?

For the “without doing” meaning, yes — the difference is register, not meaning. Not for requests: 言わずにください is wrong. And remember する → せずに.

What about なくてもいい and なくてはいけない?

Both are built on なくて, and neither has a ないで version. 行かなくてもいい you don't have to go; 行かなくてはいけない you have to go. Knowing which negative te-form they use stops you inventing 行かないでもいい.

Is 〜ないで the same as 〜なくて when it means “instead of”?

The “instead of” reading belongs to ないで only: バスに乗らないで歩いた, I walked rather than taking the bus. Two alternatives, one chosen — which is exactly the “chosen action” test.