「～ずにはすむ/ないではすむ」- Expressing Something Never Happened

Explanation

This grammatical structure is used to express that something never happened or that a certain situation was avoided, emphasizing that the event indeed did not occur.

Grammar Pattern

Grammar Point	Connection	Explanation
ずにはすむ/ないではすむ	Verb negative form + ずにはすむ / ないではすむ	Used to describe how something was avoided without performing a certain action.

Basic Usage

• ずにはすむ: Used to describe how something was avoided without performing a certain action.

  • Example:
    • 彼かれは説明せつめいせずにはすんだ。
    • Kare wa setsumei sezu ni wa sunda.
    • He managed to avoid explaining.
      

• ないではすむ: Indicates that something was avoided without completing a certain action.

  • Example:
    • 彼かれは謝あやまらないではすんだ。
    • Kare wa ayamaranai de wa sunda.
    • He managed to avoid apologizing.
      

Examples

• 自分じぶんが悪わるいことをしたことがないではすむ、悪わるいとは思おもえない。
• Jibun ga warui koto o shita koto ga nai de wa sumu, warui to wa omoenai.
• I’ve never done anything bad, so I can’t think of it as wrong.
  

• 彼かれは謝あやまらないではすんだ。
• Kare wa ayamaranai de wa sunda.
• He managed to avoid apologizing.
  

Deep Dive

This structure emphasizes that something never happened, so there was no need to take further action. Its tone is more definitive than 「～がない/～ないで」.

Common Mistakes

• Some may confuse ずにはすむ/ないではすむ with ずにはおかない/ないではおかない, which indicates that something is bound to happen.

Summary

ずにはすむ/ないではすむ is a Japanese grammatical structure used to express that something never happened. It emphasizes that the event did not occur, so there is no need to worry or take further action.