JLPT N1 grammar

〜ともなく／ともなしにmeaning and usage

Meaning

  1. To do A mindlessly; without paying much attention to A
  2. To state that person/place/time A tied to an action is not known

How to form it

  • verb (dictionary form)ともなく/ともなしに
  • question wordから/へともなく

How it is used

Written. ① After verbs like 「見る」 or 「聞く」, often repeated: doing it idly, without meaning to (「聞くともなく聞く」). ② After a question word and particle (「誰からともなく」): 'someone, somewhere, no one knows exactly'.

Examples

  1. 母と話すともなく話していたら、涙が出てきた。

    Talking to my mother without thinking too much about it, I began to cry (tears started to come out).

  2. テレビを見るともなく見ていたら、故郷の町が映った。

    I was half-watching TV when my hometown suddenly appeared on screen.

  3. どこからともなく、いいにおいが漂ってきた。

    A lovely smell drifted in from somewhere.