How to tell them apart
ないまでも concedes that an ideal falls short, then offers a lesser alternative that still holds, as in 大成功とは言えないまでも成果はあった. までもない judges an action unnecessary because the result is already obvious or trivial, as in 計算器を使うまでもない. Swapping them flips the sentence from
- ないまでも Use ないまでも when you admit an ideal isn't met but still claim a lesser, acceptable outcome.
- までもない Use ままでない when an action is unnecessary because the result is already obvious or trivial.
| Grammar point | Meaning | JLPT level |
|---|---|---|
| ないまでも naimademo | Even granting it is not the case, it is at least close to that | N1 |
| までもない mademonai | It goes without saying; no need to do something | N1 |
ないまでも naimademo
Even granting it is not the case, it is at least close to that
ないまでも attaches to the plain negative form of a verb (often 言わない or 言えない) and concedes that something is not the case while asserting that it is still close to that degree. It literally means 'even if one does not say...', so the pattern sets up a milder statement after denying a stronger one.
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彼は、無礼だとはいわないまでも、礼儀正しくはなかった。
He was impolite, not to say rude.
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君のレポートは、優秀とは言えないまでもかなりよい。
Your report is pretty good, if not excellent.
までもない mademonai
It goes without saying; no need to do something
までもない follows a verb, most often 言う, to state that something is so obvious it does not need to be said. It attaches to the plain form of the verb and appears in both formal writing and speech, frequently as 言うまでもない or 言うまでもなく.
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彼が当代随一の作家のひとりであるのは言うまでもない。
Needless to say he is one of the best writers of the present generation.
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彼がその仕事に適しているということは言うまでもない。
It goes without saying that he's the best person for the job.
ないまでも and までもない are both JLPT N1 grammar points that Japanese learners often mix up. This page compares them side by side on meanings, usage and example sentences, so you can tell them apart.