ず form without に particle?

Reading links regarding the ず form (without doing the verb), sometimes, it is stated that the use of the に particle after ず is required. But in the paragraph below かまわず seems to be the ず form of かまう and it is not been followed by the に particle. So, what is going on here?

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I’m pretty sure the grammar dictionary says it’s not required, but my copy is currently packed in a box, so I couldn’t tell you the specifics of the usage.

I see it without に often, and my understanding (anyone please correct me if I’m wrong) is that ず alone is essentially the same as ない.

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(Blanket warning that I’m not an expert by any means but here goes :joy:)

My understanding with ず has been that it basically makes the verb into an adverb (a la 相変(あいか)わらず and the like), and like other dedicated adverbs it can and often does use に, but it doesn’t have to. I’m sure there’s more to it than that, but that’s how I’ve understood it anyway :laughing:

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Thanks: This was useful since I didn’t realized Grammar Dictionaries would have entries for the ず form since the one I use has a table for verb conjugations but it does not explain the conjugations. Anyway, I checked 日本語文型辞典 and says it expresses negation but can only be used in written language. In spoken language, なくて and ないで are used.

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For those who can work their way through it, this grammar site (Japanese) mentions ず. I think it’s saying that ず is a form of ぬ, and that ぬ is for cancellation same as ない.

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With this discussion only know I realized that the adverb 思わず that was one of my leeches back in level 10 is just using the ず form!

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My understanding was that ず = なくて and that ずに = ないで.

At least I’ve heard people say that.

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I had the same realization on 思わず after learning about ず. Suddenly it made sense why 思わず seemed to mean the opposite of 思う, and I didn’t get it wrong again since.

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I think an exception may be set phrases. I could have sworn I heard a character actually say 思わず but I can’t remember where. Could be wrong tho.

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One place is episode 30 of Sailormoon. Usagi is upset because Rei said they’re not friends anymore. Luna tells Usagi, 「うさぎちゃんが変なことするから怒って思わず言っただけじゃない」

This word’s anime usage does seem to be on the rare side, based on my searching subtitle files I have for anime I’ve seen.

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Yes, set phrases is an exception.

This is a pretty strong statement. I feel like this should maybe be softened to indicate uncommonness or stiffness in spoken language.

Not that you can really go by manga, but in the chapter of manga I just read, ず was used twice in dialog. The first was ずにはいられない, so maybe doesn’t count. The second one was 今日はお客さまと目を合わせてお話しできず反省です。

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Yeah, “it can only be used in written language” is going a bit too far. I hear it in spoken language occasionally, even outside of the above mentioned expressions. Generally, it is going to have a more formal feeling, so it could be someone speaking in a formal setting. That’s still spoken language though.

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I agree that the statement is probably wrong. Chances are the 本語文型辞典 did not had “only” perhaps was “mostly” or “usually”. I don’t have it right here to check now.

While watching through Bottle Fairy episode one today for listening practice, I came across ず.

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