Without doing or instead of doing
In the basic ohne … zu and statt … zu patterns, the main-clause subject also carries out the understood infinitive action. For a different explicit actor, a finite clause such as ohne dass can make that relationship clear. A separable infinitive keeps zu inside its word.
Nora schreibt eine Nachricht, statt anzurufen.
Nora writes a message instead of calling.
No need is different from a prohibition
The standard written construction nicht brauchen … zu removes necessity. It does not forbid the action. Compare nicht müssen with nicht dürfen: the first means not needing to do something; the second means not being allowed to do it.
Du brauchst heute nicht zu warten.
You do not need to wait today.
Read the whole verb construction
A request such as Nora bittet Tim, zu kommen makes Tim the expected visitor. A promise such as Nora verspricht Tim, zu kommen makes Nora the expected visitor. Selected perception and causative constructions instead use a bare infinitive without zu.
Nora hört Tim singen.
Nora hears Tim singing.
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References
Original explanations and examples informed by grammar references. Level placement is an editorial teaching choice.