〜なしに・〜なくして

Formation

• N + なしに
• V辞書形 + ことなしに
• N + なくして(は) + 否定の表現
• V辞書形 + ことなくして(は) + 否定の表現

Explanation

There are two uses. (1) N + なしに means "without doing / having ~," often describing something done without a normally expected step, such as notice or permission. (2) N + なくして(は) means "if there were no ~," followed by a negative such as "impossible," stressing how essential ~ is. Both are formal and mostly written.

Examples

• 田中たなかさんは何なんの連絡れんらくもなしに会議かいぎを休やすんだ。

  Mr. Tanaka missed the meeting without any notice.

• 彼女かのじょは一日いちにちも休やすむことなしに練習れんしゅうを続つづけた。

  She kept practicing without taking a single day off.

• 皆みなさんの協力きょうりょくなくして、学園祭がくえんさいの成功せいこうはありませんでした。

  Without everyone's cooperation, the school festival could not have succeeded.

• 現地げんちの人ひとたちの助たすけなくしては、この旅たびは続つづけられなかった。

  Without the help of the local people, I could not have continued this trip.

Notes

なくして(は) must be followed by a negative expression. 〜なしで and 〜抜きで are fine in speech, but なくして is quite formal.

Mini quiz

Practice this in N1 · Day 16