Skip to content

N2

ずに済む

ずにすむ

Get by without doing something, To get away with

今いま宿題しゅくだいをやっておけば後あとでやらずに済すむから、今いまのうちにやっておこう。

If I do my homework now, I can get by without doing it later, so I shall do it right now.

Explanation

Built on the 「ず」 negative of a verb (「ないで済む」 and 「なくて済む」 also work). It means 'I got by without having to ...'. You expected to have to do something troublesome or painful, or lose money or get hurt, but thanks to some circumstance you were spared, and you feel relieved: 「手術を受けずに済んだ」 (I was spared an operation). The polite form is 「済みます」.

Mixed up with

The verb 「する」 becomes 「せずに済む」. In test options, 「しずに」 and 「するに」 are wrong.

Only for avoiding something unpleasant or burdensome: 「罰金を払わずに済んだ」 (I got out of paying the fine). It can't be used for something you look forward to: not 「×旅行に行かずに済んだ」.

「ずに済む」 is more formal and written; 「ないで済む」 is common in daily speech.

Examples

  1. このVIPパスを使つかえば待またずに済すみます。

    If you have this VIP pass, you can get by without waiting.

  2. 事故じこが起おこったけど、怪我けがをせずに済すんだ。

    An accident occurred, but I got away without getting injured.

  3. 洗あらい物ものをせずに済すむ。

    I don't have to do the dishes.

Tested 2 times in past papers

N2 · Dec 2025, Q39N1 · Jul 2025, Q35