Translation guide
How to express that an action or state occurs without the subject being aware of it, or that something happens inadvertently.
The subject does something or something happens without the subject's conscious awareness.
Adverb meaning 'unintentionally' or 'without thinking', used when you do something by accident or out of habit.
An action is performed stealthily or goes undetected by other people.
Passive-negative form of 気づく, meaning 'without being noticed'.
彼は気づかれずに部屋を出た。
He left the room without being noticed.
Casual, from ばれる (to be found out). 'Without getting caught'.
Failing to notice a detail, mistake, or change.
つい implies doing something you know you shouldn't but can't resist, while うっかり implies carelessness or absent-mindedness. うっかり is closer to 'without noticing' in the sense of a slip-up.
うっかり約束を忘れていた。
I carelessly forgot the appointment without noticing.
Avoid directly translating 'without noticing' as 気づかないで or 気づかなくて, as these often sound unnatural. Use the patterns above instead.
つい食べ過ぎてしまった。
I ended up eating too much without noticing.
つい秘密を話してしまった。
I accidentally told the secret without realizing.
Literally 'while not knowing', used for gradual, unconscious changes or actions.
知らず知らずのうちに、時間が経っていた。
Time passed without my noticing.
知らず知らずのうちに、悪い癖がついていた。
I had picked up a bad habit without noticing.
Directly 'while not noticing', often used for things that happen before you realize.
気づかないうちに、財布を落としていた。
I dropped my wallet without noticing.
'Before I knew it' or 'without my noticing', for things that happen subtly over time.
いつの間にか雨が止んでいた。
The rain had stopped without my noticing.
ばれずにカンニングできた。
I was able to cheat without being noticed.
Adverb meaning 'secretly' or 'stealthily', often used for doing something without others noticing.
こっそり抜け出した。
I slipped away without anyone noticing.
Verb meaning 'to overlook' or 'to miss seeing'.
間違いを見落としてしまった。
I overlooked the mistake without noticing.
Pattern: 'do something without noticing'. Attach verb stem or noun.
彼の変化に気づかずに話し続けた。
I kept talking without noticing his change.