て・
The first verb says how the second is done: on foot, sitting down, with a hat on. In the negative, ないで, it is "without doing".
without
I went to school without eating breakfast.
How
Verb in the て-form + the main verb
座って話す, 歩いて行く. Both verbs are about the same person.
Without
Verb in the ない-form + で + the main verb
食べない → 食べないで. Not 食べなくて.
How you are while you do it
Sitting, wearing something, holding something, with the light off: the first verb sets things up, and they stay that way while the main thing happens. English says "with", or uses an -ing word.
He was listening to music with his eyes closed.
The children crossed the road holding hands.
Let's sit down and talk.
I always sleep with the light off.
How you get somewhere
English puts the how into the verb: walk to the station, run home. Japanese more often says go, or go home, with the how in the て-form.
I walk to the station.
It looked like rain, so I ran home.
Words you'll use every day
歩いてon foot
It's five minutes on foot from my house to the station.
持って行くtake (a thing)
I'll take an umbrella tomorrow.
Word for word, "go holding it". 持って来る is "bring".
連れて行くtake (a person)
I took my little brother to the park.
ないで: without doing
The main thing happens, and the other thing doesn't.
He left the room without saying anything.
I drink coffee without sugar.
Last night I studied without going to bed.
It is also "instead of": you skip one thing and do another.
Let's walk instead of taking the bus.
Not なくて
A verb has a second negative て-form, なくて. Between two halves of a sentence, that one mostly gives a reason. It can't mean "without doing".
Not said: 朝ご飯を
(I went to school without eating breakfast.)
食べないで. Not eating isn't why you went.
て or ながら?
ながら is for two things you are busy doing at once. Having a coat on isn't something you are busy doing, so it takes the て-form. With ながら, a verb like 着る goes back to the action itself.
I left the house putting my coat on.
You are still getting into it.
Other jobs of て and ないで
The same form, joining actions in order: the first is over before the next begins.
She read the book and then turned off the light.
The first half is why the second happened.
The bus didn't come, and I was stuck.
At the end of a sentence, to family or friends: do it, or don't.
Don't worry.
Close neighbours
ずにN3
The same thing, a little stiffer and more common in writing. しないで becomes せずに.
He left the room without saying anything.
たままN4
Still in a state you would normally have changed first: the window open, your shoes on.
I went out with the window still open.
Check yourself
1"I went out without an umbrella."
傘を
Choose an answer to see why.
2What does this mean?
父は
Choose an answer to see why.
More detail
Without a thing: なしで
After a noun, "without" is なしで.
I drink coffee without sugar.
More sentences
She was listening to the explanation with her arms crossed.
My mother greeted me with a smile.
I tried to read the small print without wearing my glasses.
I'm not going anywhere today. I'll rest at home instead.