Difference between -nakute and -naide form.

[Tsurugi]

This is something I never could remember.When should I change the negative form of the verb with "nakute",and when with "naide"?

For example-should I say

Watashi wa Nihonjin de wa nakute,Montenegurojin desu.

Or

Watashi wa Nihonjin de wa naide,Montenegurojin desu.

 

[Haruspex]

Afaik one would normally use nakute in this situation, as thats what you would use with a negative. Nai de kinda sounds like "without" to me.
Like "iwanai de tsuzuke", "continue without saying [it]".
Although thats only what my instincts tell me. From what I know, in your case that de should be the -te form of the copula.

 

[nice gaijin]

~nakute is the negative ~te form conjugation, your first sentence uses it correctly. You can also use it for such structures as "~nakutemo ii," "~nakutewa ikenai."

~nai de cannot be used interchangeably with ~nakute (so your second sentence doesn't work). It could mean "without" as in Derfel's examples. It is also used in negative requests, like "shinai de kudasai."

 

[Tsurugi]

So,that is it.Thank you very much for explication.