ようとしない (you to shinai) Meaning Japanese Grammar - Not Make An Effort To
Anna Baffa Volpe
4 min reading time
Updated on 22 September 2023
The structure ようとしない (you to shinai) means not willing to, not attempt to, not make effort to or not intend to.
It is a useful expression in combination with the Volitional form we review in this post.
The relatd structure is ようとする which is the affirmative form.
How ようとしない is formed
We use the Volitional form of the verb ending in う／よう + としない.
In the case of Verbs Ichidan:
Unwilling to decide or Refusing to decide, don't / doesn't want to decide
With the Verbs Godan:
don't / doesn't want to write, refusing to write
Irregulars verbs:
- する becomes しようとしない
- 来る ⇨ 来ようとしない
How and when ようとしない is used
Let's explain 2 characteristics of the structure through 2 japanese sentences:
「それをする気持ちが全然ない」という意味です。
It means not having desire to do that at all.
自分のことには使いません。
I don't use it for myself.
自分 jibun is a widely used noun and means oneself, myself
This structure is used with a Volitional verb to say that there is neither will nor efforts to do the action.
As expressed in the Japanese sentence, this form is used for other people's things and situations, not in the first person.
...
彼女は怒っているから、誰の話も聞こうとしない。
She is angry and doesn't want to listen to anyone.
The following sentence contains the same structure using the verb 思う think, in the negative form 思わない I don't think I will...
性格を変えようと思わない。
I don't want to change my personality.
うちの子は、何度言っても勉強しようとしない。
My child does not want to study, no matter how many times I tell him.
There is another more articulate structure that is used instead of ようとしない, it is expressed by 「まったく〜する様子がない」.
- まったく is an adverb that combined with the negative form of the verb means
not at all. - 様子
yōsuindicates thesituation, thestateand also theappearance⇨ doesn't seem to want to do, doesn't want to do at all
まったく勉強する様子がない。
He doesn't seem to study at all.
Sentences from an article about Hikikomori
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Support us to unlockExamples of ようとしない
A
彼女にちゃんと説明した？
Did you explain it to her properly?
B
勿論。でも、ぼくの話を聞こうとしないんだ。
Of course, but she doesn't want to listen to me.
隣の家の人は挨拶をしても、返そうとしない。
Even if we greet our neighbour, he does not return our greetings.
逮捕された犯人は何を質問しても答えようとしない。
The arrested criminal doesn't want to answer, no matter what questions you ask him.
アドバイスしているのに、誰も私のアドバイスを聞いて実践しようとしない。
I give advice, but nobody wants to listen to my advice and put it into practice.
