N4 — outside your level filter
なくて
なくてnakuteN4neutral
Same meaning13
because; the reason is
- ばかりにall because — one small thing cost far more than it shouldattaches at
- だってcasual reason-opener ('cause, X); casual "even N"attaches at
- からこそprecisely because — this reason and no other made it happenattaches at
- からbecause; so — the speaker's own reasonattaches at
- ことだからknowing X as we do — a prediction from someone's known characterattaches at
- ものだからbecause — offered as an excuse the speaker could not helpattaches at
- もの'cause; but I — a reason fired back at the listenerattaches at
- んですit's that…; you see — marks the sentence as an explanationattaches at
- なぜならthe reason is; because — opens a new sentence explaining the last oneattaches at
- につきowing to N; per N (formal, written)attaches at
- のでbecause; since — reason as circumstanceattaches at
- せいかperhaps because; maybe it's because — the cause offered only as a guessattaches at
- しand what's more — listing reasonsattaches at
All examples8
didn't/couldn't…, so — links a negative to the feeling it causes
朝、目覚ましが鳴らなくて、遅刻しちゃったよ。
asa, mezamashi ga naranakute, chikoku shichatta yo.
My alarm didn't go off this morning, so I ended up late. casual
質問の意味が分からなくて、もう一度聞き返した。
shitsumon no imi ga wakaranakute, mou ichido kikikaeshita.
I didn't understand the question, so I asked again. neutral
すぐにご連絡できなくて、申し訳ございませんでした。
sugu ni go renraku dekinakute, moushiwake gozaimasen deshita.
I am very sorry that I could not contact you sooner. formal
isn't … and — a negative adjective, just listed beside what follows
この部屋は広くなくて、日も当たらない。
kono heya wa hiro ku nakute, hi mo ataranai.
This room isn't spacious, and it gets no sun either. neutral
あの店、高くなくておいしいんだよ。
ano mise, takaku nakute oishii n da yo.
That place isn't expensive, and the food's good. casual
not A, but B — ではなくて corrects the first word, gives the right one
これはお茶ではなくて、麦茶です。
kore wa ocha de wa nakute, mugicha desu.
This isn't green tea — it's barley tea. neutral
あの人は失礼ではなくて、ただ人見知りなんです。
ano hito wa shitsurei de wa nakute, tada hitomishiri na n desu.
He isn't rude — he's just shy with strangers. neutral
嫌いじゃなくて、今日はおなかいっぱいなだけ。
kirai ja nakute, kyou wa onaka ippai na dake.
It's not that I don't like it — I'm just full today. casual
How it's formed4
All forms1
じゃなくてjanakutecontraction
悪趣味じゃなくて
では shortens to じゃ in speech, on a noun too (お茶じゃなくて). Never on a verb — there's no だ there to shorten.
Notes
without doing X," use ないで instead.