unless; without first

ないことには means that unless the first thing happens, the second cannot. Attach it to a verb's ない-form. The second clause is usually negative or impossible, stressing that the first action is a precondition.

Examples

• 実際じっさいに見みないことには、判断はんだんできない。

  Jissai ni minai koto ni wa, handan dekinai.

  Unless I actually see it, I can't judge.

• やってみないことには、分わからない。

  Yatte minai koto ni wa, wakaranai.

  Without trying it, you won't know.

Vocabulary in these examples

• 見る to see; to watch
• できる to be able to do
• やる to do
• 分かる to understand

Related patterns · Condition and basis

• 〜限り as long as; as far as
• 〜さえ〜ば if only; as long as just
• 〜以上は now that; since (given that)
• 〜からには now that; since (so naturally)
• 〜に基づいて based on; on the basis of