JLPT N2Spoken and writtenBlaming

もしない・もしないでdoesn't even; without even

"Doesn't even": it was the least you'd expect of someone, and they don't do that much. It usually blames them. もしないで is "without even …ing", and goes on to what they did.

彼かれは書しょ類るいを見みもしないで、文もん句くを言いう。

He complains without even looking at the documents.

母ははが何なん度ど呼よんでも、弟おとうとは振ふり向むきもしない。

However many times Mom calls him, my little brother doesn't even turn around.

How to form it

Verb ます-stem + もしない／もしないで

見みます → 見みもしない, 聞ききます → 聞ききもしないで. A する-verb usually puts も after its noun: 確かく認にんもしない, 返へん事じもしないで. In writing もしないで is also もせずに: 見みもせずに.

Said about: Mostly other people, and what they should have done first: look, listen, ask, check.
Tone: Annoyed or disbelieving. Now and then admiring, when someone manages without even needing to.
Where you'll meet it: Conversation and writing alike.

In use

彼かれは理り由ゆうを聞ききもしないで、申しん請せいを却きゃっ下かした。

He rejected the application without even asking the reason.

彼かれは確かく認にんもしないで、メールを全ぜん員いんに送おくった。

He sent the email to everyone without even checking it.

よく知しりもしないくせに、勝かっ手てなことを言いわないで。

You don't even know the facts, so don't go saying whatever you like.

彼かの女じょは地ち図ずを見みもしないで、迷まよわず会かい場じょうに着ついた。

She got to the venue without getting lost, and without even looking at a map.

Here it admires her.

思おもいもしなかった

思おもいもしなかった and 考かんがえもしなかった are fixed phrases with no blame in them: "I never even imagined", usually about yourself, when something takes you by surprise.

こんな所ところで先せん生せいに会あうとは、思おもいもしなかった。

I never imagined I'd run into my teacher in a place like this.

Close neighbours

ないでN4

Plain "without doing". もしないで adds the "even", and with it the blame.

私わたしは朝あさご飯はんを食たべないで学がっ校こうへ行いった。

I went to school without eating breakfast.

（よ）うともしないN3

"Won't even try to": it is about the will, and they make no move. もしない is about the act that never happens.

熱ねつが三みっ日かも続つづいているのに、父ちちは病びょう院いんへ行いこうともしない。

His fever has lasted three days, and my father still won't even go to the hospital.

はしない・やしないN1

With は in place of も, or や in casual speech: a flat "certainly won't". It denies that the thing will happen at all.

そんな根こん拠きょのない噂うわさは信しんじやしない。

I would never believe such a baseless rumor.

Check yourself

1Which one is right?

部ぶ長ちょうは人ひとの話はなしを（　　）、すぐに反はん対たいする。

Choose an answer to see why.

2What does this mean?

兄あには値ね段だんを見みもしないで、その靴くつを買かった。

Choose an answer to see why.

More sentences

新しん人じんなのに、メモを取とりもしない。

He's new, and he doesn't even take notes.

何なん度ど尋たずねても、担たん当とう者しゃは答こたえもしない。

However many times I ask, the person in charge doesn't even answer.

彼かれは説せつ明めい書しょを読よみもしないで、その機き械かいは故こ障しょうしていると決きめつけた。

Without even reading the manual, he concluded that the machine was broken.

彼かれは説せつ明めいを最さい後ごまで聞ききもしないで、無む理りだと言いった。

He said it was impossible without even hearing the explanation out.

店てん員いんは客きゃくの顔かおを見みもしないで、機き械かい的てきに答こたえた。

The clerk answered mechanically without even looking at the customer.

子こどもは靴くつを脱ぬぎもしないで、部屋へやに上あがった。

The child came into the room without even taking their shoes off.

彼かの女じょはメモを見みもしないで、全ぜん員いんの名な前まえを言いい当あてた。

Without even looking at her notes, she correctly named everyone.

Compared with similar forms

Ways to say "even"