GRAMMAR DETAIL
〜なしに
Indicates acting without a necessary condition, such as adequate preparation or permission, being in place.
Examples
十分な準備なしに、計画を実行してはいけない。
You must not carry out the plan without adequate preparation.
Words used
詳しい説明なしに、作業を始めないでください。
Please do not start the work without a detailed explanation.
Words used
Study notes
1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning
- Structure: Attach
なしにto a noun such as preparation or explanation to describe doing the following action without it. - Basic usage:
詳しい説明なしに、作業を始めないでください。asks that work not begin without a detailed explanation.
2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions
- Noun versus verb connection
準備なしにattaches to a noun, whereas準備せずにuses a negative verb form. Do not attach it directly to a dictionary-form verb as in準備するなしに.
- Scope of the following negative
- In
説明なしに始めないでください,なしにmarks the absence of explanation, while the following negative requests that work not start. The negatives do not cancel each other; the request prohibits starting in the absence of explanation.
- In