〜まいとする

Try Not to

Level 4Sounds Like maitosuru

〜まいとする is a formal, literary pattern used to describe a person's strong internal struggle or deliberate effort to prevent an action, feeling, or state from occurring. It is the negative counterpart to ようとする (try to).

How It Works

1. Meaning and Nuance
〜まいとする translates to "try not to," "struggle not to," or "make an effort not to." Unlike the more common 〜ないようにする, which is used for general habits or simple precautions, 〜まいとする implies a strong psychological resolve or a physical struggle to suppress something (like tears, laughter, or the urge to give up).

2. Conjugation Rules
The attachment depends on the verb group:

  • Godan Verbs: Dictionary form + まいとする (e.g., 行くまいとする).
  • Ichidan Verbs: Stem (masu-stem) + まいとする OR Dictionary form + まいとする. The stem version is more traditional/formal (e.g., 食べまい vs. 食べるまい).
  • Irregular Verbs:
    • する (to do): すまいとする (common) or するまいとする.
    • くる (to come): こまいとする (common) or くるまいとする.

3. Register and Usage
This is a formal and literary expression (kaki-kotoba). You will encounter it in novels, formal essays, news reports, and scripted speeches. It is rarely used in casual conversation. While the simple まい is often restricted to the first person, 〜まいとする is frequently used for third-person subjects to describe their observable effort to resist something.

Examples (4)

  1. 彼女は泣くまいとして、唇をかみしめた。

    She bit her lip, trying her hardest not to cry.

    Word by Word: She cry-not-try-to-do, lip bit-hard.

    Here, the subject is struggling against a natural emotional reaction (crying).

  2. ライバルに負けまいとして、彼は必死に練習した。

    He practiced desperately, determined not to lose to his rival.

    Word by Word: Rival-to lose-not-try-to-do, he desperately practiced.

    This shows a strong resolve to avoid a negative outcome (losing).

  3. 親に心配をかけまいとして、彼は病気のことを隠していた。

    He kept his illness a secret, trying not to cause his parents worry.

    Word by Word: Parents-to worry cause-not-try-to-do, he illness-about was-hiding.

    This demonstrates a deliberate effort to prevent a specific result (worrying others).

  4. その秘密を誰にも漏らすまいとして、彼は口を閉ざした。

    He kept his mouth shut, determined not to leak that secret to anyone.

    Word by Word: That secret anyone-to leak-not-try-to-do, he mouth closed.

    The use of まいとする emphasizes the strength of his will to keep the secret.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the negative form (nai-form) before まい.

    行かないまいとする
    行くまいとする

    まい itself is already negative. You must use the dictionary form (for Godan) or the stem/dictionary form (for Ichidan) before まい.

  • Attempting to use 〜ないようとする for 'try not to'.

    泣かないようとする
    泣くまいとする / 泣かないようにする

    The pattern 〜ようとする is only for positive volition. To say 'try not to,' you must use 〜まいとする (formal) or 〜ないようにする (standard).

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

〜まいとするLevel 4Try Not to

Learn This First

To understand '〜まいとする', you first need to know the negative volitional form 'まい' (will not/intend not to). It also helps to be familiar with the affirmative version '〜ようとする' (try to do), as this pattern follows the same grammatical logic but for negative intentions.

Words in This Pattern

まいとする