〜ずにすむ

GRAMMAR

〜ずにすむ

get by without doing

Explanation

NOTE

〜ずにすむ means can avoid doing X or don't have to V — used when something turns out so that an unwanted action becomes unnecessary.

友達ともだちが車くるまで送おくってくれたので、タクシーを呼よばずにすんだ。

My friend drove me, so I didn't have to call a taxi.

The unwanted action (calling a taxi) became unnecessary thanks to circumstances.

NOTE

The nuance is relief — the speaker is glad they could avoid something troublesome, costly, or unpleasant.

NOTE

To form it, take the ない-form of a verb, drop ない, and attach ずにすむ (払はらわない → 払はらわずにすむ).

STRUCTURE

Vない

ずにすむ

傘かさを借かりたので、濡ぬれずにすんだ。

Kasa o karita node, nurezu ni sunda.

I borrowed an umbrella, so I didn't have to get wet.

母ははが手伝てつだってくれて、残業ざんぎょうせずにすんだ。

Haha ga tetsudatte kurete, zangyou sezu ni sunda.

My mother helped me, so I didn't have to work overtime.

割引券わりびきけんがあったので、高たかいお金かねを払はらわずにすんだ。

Waribikiken ga atta node, takai okane o harawazu ni sunda.

Because I had a discount coupon, I didn't have to pay a lot of money.

車くるまで送おくってもらったので、歩あるかずにすんだ。

Kuruma de okutte moratta node, arukazunisunda.

I was given a ride by car, so I was able to get by without walking.

新あたらしい本ほんを買かわずにすんだ。

Atarashii hon o kawazunisunda.

I was able to get by without buying a new book.

昨日きのうは雨あめが降ふらなかったので、傘かさを持もかずにすんだ。

Kinou wa ame ga furanakatta node, kasa o mokazunisunda.

It didn't rain yesterday, so I was able to get by without carrying an umbrella.

NOTE

Exception: する becomes せずにすむ — not しずにすむ. Memorize this irregular form.

薬くすりのおかげで、手術しゅじゅつをせずにすんだ。

Thanks to the medicine, I didn't have to have surgery.

する → せずにすむ (not しずにすむ).

Practice exercises

期限内きげんないに支払しはらう限かぎり、延滞料えんたいりょうを払はらわずに済すむ。

As long as you pay within the deadline, you can get by without paying a late fee.

Answer

払はらわずに済すむ

今回こんかいは友ともだちが助たすけてくれたおかげで、一人ひとりで全すべてをせずに済すんだ。

Thanks to my friend's help this time, I got by without doing everything by myself.

Answer

せずに済すんだ

簡単かんたんな修理しゅうりにすぎないので、専門家せんもんかを呼よばずに済すんだ。

It's nothing more than a simple repair, so I got by without calling a specialist.

Answer

呼よばずに済すんだ

少すこし直なおすのみで、新あたらしいものを買かわずに済すんだ。

Only by repairing it a little, I got by without buying a new one.

Answer

買かわずに済すんだ

代替案だいたいあんが承認しょうにんされたため、最初さいしょの計画けいかくを修正しゅうせいせずに済すんだ。

Since the alternative plan was approved, I got by without revising the original plan.

Answer

せずに済すんだ