Grammar Info

N3 Lesson 1: 6/22

ない内(うち)にBefore it becomes, Before ~ occurs, Without

Unfavorable result

Structure

Verb［ない］+ うちに + Phrase

Details

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    Standard

  • Rare Kanji

    無い

About ないうちに

In contrast to うちに, which is often used to express the 'optimal', or 'best' time within which something should occur, ないうちに expresses the time within which something 'does not' occur, and results in (or causes) something negative, or will cause something negative if not dealt with. This means that 'before (A) happens (B)', or 'without (A) happening, (B).

うちに will be paired with verbs in their ない (negative) form, before the (B) phrase highlights something that 'is done to prevent (A) from happening', or 'happened unfortunately during (A)'.

Fun Fact

前(まえ)に and ないうちに are used in very similar situations, with the primary difference being that ないうちに focuses more on unfavorable results.

  • 出(で)かける前(まえ)にバイオリンの練習(れんしゅう)をしないといけない。
    I need to practice playing my violin before I go out.
  • 知(し)らないうちに家(いえ)の前(まえ)にあるラーメン屋(や)が潰(つぶ)れていた。
    Without realizing it, the ramen shop in front of my house went out of business.

Examples

--:--

    暗(くら)くならない内(うち)に帰(かえ)って来(き)なさいよ。

    Come back home before it gets dark.

    私(わたし)が知(し)らない内(うち)に、友達(ともだち)が離婚(りこん)していた。

    Before I knew it, my friend was divorced.

    冷(さ)めない内(うち)にお召(め)し上(あ)がりください。

    Please eat it before it gets cold.

    眠(ねむ)くならない内(うち)に宿題(しゅくだい)を終(お)わらせよう。

    Let's finish the homework before I get sleepy.

    いくらも泳(およ)がない内(うち)に、向(む)こう岸(ぎし)についてしまった。

    Without swimming that much, I reached the other shore.

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      ないうちに – Grammar Discussion

      Most Recent Replies (4 in total)

      • Pushindawood

        Pushindawood

        Thank you for point these out to us! I have updated the related grammar section to include 前に and have added a note about it in the information section on the Meaning page. I have also removed the redundant resource listing and added the tanos link that you provided. Cheers!

        We love you too!

      • en_velours

        en_velours

        I think there’s a mistake in this example sentence,

      • mrnoone

        mrnoone

        @en_velours
        Hey

        That’s actually my error, I changed sentence to ひめる because it sounds more natural that way, but forgot to change the word for conjugation

        It should be all good now.

        Sorry for the inconvenience

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