Translation guide
Expresses that someone acts or a situation appears as though a prior event had no effect or did not occur. Japanese uses set phrases, adverbial expressions, and conditional forms.
Describing someone's behavior when they pretend nothing occurred.
Standard phrase meaning 'as if nothing happened'. Used to describe actions or demeanor.
彼は何もなかったかのように振る舞った。
He acted as if nothing had happened.
Slightly more formal/literary variant. '何事' means 'anything' or 'something'.
彼女は何事もなかったかのように微笑んだ。
She smiled as if nothing had happened.
Adverb meaning 'calmly', 'composedly', often implying 'as if nothing happened'.
彼は平然と嘘をついた。
He lied as if nothing happened.
Casual adverb meaning 'nonchalantly', 'as if nothing happened'. Often used for cheeky or bold behavior.
彼はしれっと遅刻してきた。
He showed up late as if nothing happened.
Describing a scene or atmosphere that goes back to how it was before an event.
Used for situations that return to normal, as if the event never occurred.
嵐の後、街は何事もなかったように静かだった。
After the storm, the town was quiet as if nothing had happened.
Means 'back to normal', 'as it was'. Often used with 'になる' or 'に戻る'.
すべてが元通りになった。
Everything went back to normal, as if nothing had happened.
Expressing a hypothetical situation where an event did not occur.
Standard conditional 'if nothing happened'. Used for hypotheticals.
もし何もなかったら、明日会いましょう。
If nothing happens, let's meet tomorrow.
More concise conditional, often used in written or formal contexts.
何もなければ、計画通り進めます。
If nothing happens, we'll proceed as planned.
Both mean 'as if nothing happened'. 何事も is slightly more formal and emphasizes 'any kind of event'. 何も is more common in everyday speech.
彼は何もなかったかのように話し続けた。
He kept talking as if nothing had happened.
彼は何事もなかったかのように話し続けた。
He kept talking as if nothing had happened. (more formal)
Do not translate word-for-word as '起こったことのようにない' or similar. Use the set phrases provided.