〜ともなく;〜ともなしに

Meaning

Indicates that the action is being performed unconsciously.

Without any particular intention to consciously do 〜, it expresses performing an action unconsciously.

Formation

Examples

1. 気がつけば、カフェで隣に座っているサラリーマン同士の会話を聞くともなく聞いていた。
   Before I knew it, I was unintentionally listening to the conversation between the businessmen sitting next to me at the café.

2. 見るともなくテレビを見ていると、会社の同僚が出てきてびっくりした。
   Without paying much attention, I was watching TV, and suddenly a colleague from work appeared, which surprised me.

3. 毎日、お店で流れている歌なので、覚えるともなく歌詞を覚えてしまった。
   Since the song plays at the store every day, I ended up memorizing the lyrics without trying to.

4. 彼女は本を読むともなく、ただページをめくっている。
   She wasn’t really reading the book; she was just flipping through the pages absentmindedly.

5. 歩いていると、どこからともなくカレーの匂いが漂ってきた。
   As I was walking, the smell of curry wafted from somewhere unclear.

6. 誰にともなく、今日あった出来事を聞いて欲しい。
   I want someone, anyone, to listen to what happened today..

Summary

• 〜ともなく;〜ともなしに means "Without particularly intending to do ~"
• Formation: 動詞 → 動詞 （辞書形）+ ともなく；ともなしに; イ形容詞 → イ形容詞 Na：ナ形容詞 N/A
• This is an N1-level grammar pattern