Even after looking at example sentences, I can't seem to figure out the
difference between the two. They both seem to mean "without doing ~". I
gathered that ずに is a written form, but I've also been told that there are
times where ずに is more natural to use. Is there a trick to figuring out which
to use, or is it not that simple?

  1. 今朝、朝ご飯を食べないで仕事に来ました。
  2. 今朝、朝ご飯を食べずに仕事に来ました。 This morning I came to work without eating breakfast.

I'm unable to tell the difference between the two sentences. To me they both
mean the exact same thing.
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2021-09-01T11:03:11.880
89151
2021-09-02T04:19:50.453
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question
grammar nuances
Difference between Verb (ない stem)+ ずに and Verb (ない form) + で 2nd action
Unless you are very advanced in learning Japanese, I guess you can think both
approximately mean the same. Regarding the sentences in the question, I don't
see any difference.

There are a number of related questions on this site (possibly more).

  * [Does the negative ずに form have a connective function like the te form does?](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/73134/does-the-negative-%E3%81%9A%E3%81%AB-form-have-a-connective-function-like-the-te-form-does/73135#73135)
  * [The difference among ずに、ず、ないで、なくて](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/27361/the-difference-among-%E3%81%9A%E3%81%AB-%E3%81%9A-%E3%81%AA%E3%81%84%E3%81%A7-%E3%81%AA%E3%81%8F%E3%81%A6)
  * [What is the difference between 〜ないではいられない and 〜ずにはいられない](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/2840/what-is-the-difference-between-%E3%81%AA%E3%81%84%E3%81%A7%E3%81%AF%E3%81%84%E3%82%89%E3%82%8C%E3%81%AA%E3%81%84-and-%E3%81%9A%E3%81%AB%E3%81%AF%E3%81%84%E3%82%89%E3%82%8C%E3%81%AA%E3%81%84)
  * [Can you use ないで and ずに for expressing reasons?](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/87055/can-you-use-%E3%81%AA%E3%81%84%E3%81%A7-and-%E3%81%9A%E3%81%AB-for-expressing-reasons)

I haven't read all of the above and can't give a comprehensive treatment, but
let me mention just two cases where ずに and ないで are not (really)
interchangeable.

**Double negative construction like せずに(は)いられない sounds more natural with ずに.**

Example:

  * 夜になると酒を飲まずにいられない : I cannot help but drink upon nightfall.
  * 夜になると酒を飲まないでいられない

The latter is ok, but less likely to be used.

**When the first action is a reason to the second action (this is from the
last of the linked question above).**

  * 朝七時に起きられずに会社に遅れました。I couldn't get up at seven, and was late for office.
  * 朝七時に起きられないで会社に遅れました。

The latter is only barely acceptable, although I don't see any real danger of
misunderstanding. Note that

  * 朝七時に起きられなくて/なかったから/なかったので会社に遅れました。

are all fine.
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