JLPT N1Written, literary

ずともeven without …ing

The written なくても: even without doing it, the result holds. Outside writing and speeches it lives on in a few phrases, such as 言いわずとも分わかる, "I can tell without being told".

言こと葉ばにせずとも、互たがいの意い図とは通つうじていた。

Even without putting it into words, they understood each other's intentions.

多おおくを語かたらずとも、その決けつ意いは表ひょう情じょうから伝つたわった。

Even without many words, that resolve was plain from the look on their face.

How to form it

Verb ない-form: ない → ずとも　　する → せずとも

行いかない → 行いかずとも, 見みない → 見みずとも. する is せずとも, never しずとも, just as with ずに. 来くる is 来こずとも.

After it: What holds anyway, very often that something can be known or done: 分わかる, 伝つたわる, できる, 済すむ.
Where you'll meet it: Novels, essays, speeches, advertising copy. In conversation only in set phrases, or said for effect.

In use

詳くわしい説せつ明めいを読よまずとも、この図ずを見みれば仕し組くみは理り解かいできる。

You can see how it works from this diagram, even without reading the detailed explanation.

証しょう拠こを一ひとつ一ひとつ挙あげずとも、結けつ論ろんは明あきらかである。

The conclusion is clear even without listing every piece of evidence.

何なにも言いわずとも、母ははには全ぜん部ぶ分わかっていた。

My mother knew everything without my saying a word.

言いわずとも is the one you are most likely to hear.

ずとも or なくても?

現げん地ちへ行いかずとも、必ひつ要ような資し料りょうは入にゅう手しゅできる。

The materials you need can be obtained even without going there.

Written, and a little grand.

現げん地ちへ行いかなくても、必ひつ要ような資し料りょうは入にゅう手しゅできる。

The materials you need can be obtained even without going there.

What people say, and write too.

The meaning is the same.

Two set shapes

After a noun, ならずとも is "even if you are not a …". Reviews and advertisements love it: ファンならずとも, "fan or not". And ずともよい is なくてもいい as a lord says it in a period drama.

専せん門もん家かならずとも、この判はん断だんが危き険けんだと分わかる。

You don't have to be an expert to see that this decision is dangerous.

心しん配ぱいせずともよい。

You need not worry.

Close neighbours

ずにN3

Plain "without doing": one thing was done and the other wasn't. ずとも says the other isn't needed.

説せつ明めい書しょを読よまずに機き械かいを動うごかした。

I ran the machine without reading the instructions.

ともN2

The same とも after the く form of an い-adjective: a written "even if". 少すくなくとも, "at least", is one everybody says.

道みちは険けわしくとも、進すすむ価か値ちはある。

Even if the road is steep, it is worth going on.

Check yourself

1Which one fits?

彼かれは何なにも（　　）、部屋へやを出でていった。

Choose an answer to see why.

2Which means the same?

急いそがずとも、間まに合あう。

Choose an answer to see why.

3Which one is right?

無む理りを（　　）とも、時じ間かんは十じゅう分ぶんにある。

Choose an answer to see why.

More sentences

実じっ験けんをせずとも、既き存そんのデータから結けっ果かを推すい定ていできる。

The result can be estimated from existing data, even without running an experiment.

現げん地ちを訪おとずれずとも、公こう開かい資し料りょうだけで概がい要ようはつかめる。

Even without visiting the site, you can get the outline from the public documents alone.

特とく別べつな装そう置ちを使し用ようせずとも、この測そく定ていは可か能のうである。

This measurement is possible even without special equipment.

声こえを荒あららげずとも、強つよい意い志しは示しめせる。

You can show a strong will without raising your voice.