Japanese Grammar Bank

EXPRESSING EASE AND DIFFICULTY

Expressing whether an action is easy or difficult in Japanese can be done using various sentence structures.

This lesson will cover these structures and provide examples to help you understand how to use them in various contexts.

USING 〜やすい FOR EASY ACTIONS

やすい yasui

The suffix 〜やすい is used to indicate that an action is easy to do.

It attaches to the verb stem, which is the base form of the verb without the ます (masu) ending for verbs in the polite form.

PATTERN

Verb stem + 〜やすい

この本は読みやすいです。Kono hon wa yomiyasui desu.This book is easy to read.
このペンは書きやすいです。Kono pen wa kakiyasui desu.This pen is easy to write with.
その道は歩きやすいです。Sono michi wa arukiyasui desu.That road is easy to walk on.
View More Examples:
彼の日本語は聞きやすいです。Kare no Nihongo wa kikiyasui desu.His Japanese is easy to understand
(lit. easy to listen to)
この服は着やすいですKono fuku wa kiyasu desu.These clothes are easy to wear.
このプログラムは使いやすいです。Kono puroguramu wa tsukaiyasui desu.This program is easy to use.

USING にくい FOR DIFFICULT ACTIONS

にくい nikui

The suffix 〜にくい is used to indicate that an action is difficult to do.

Similar to 〜やすい (yasui), it attaches to the verb stem.

PATTERN

Verb stem + 〜にくい

この肉は硬くて食べにくいです。Kono niku wa katakute tabenikui desu.
This meat is tough and difficult to eat.
その字は読みにくいです。Sono ji wa yominikui desu.That handwriting is difficult to read.
この靴は歩きにくいです。Kono kutsu wa arukiniku desu.These shoes are difficult to walk in.
View More Examples:
彼の話し方は聞きにくいです。Kare no hanashikata wa kikinikui desu.His way of speaking is difficult to understand
(lit. difficult to listen to).
この問題は解きにくいです。Kono mondai wa tokinikui desu.This problem is difficult to solve.
このボタンは押しにくいです。Kono botan wa oshinikui desu.This button is difficult to press.

COMBINING WITH OTHER STRUCTURES

The 〜やすい and 〜にくい suffixes can be combined with other grammar structures to create more complex sentences.

This allows for more nuanced expressions of ease and difficulty in various actions.

PATTERN // EASY TO DO

Verb stem + 〜やすい + です / ます

PATTERN // DIFFICULT TO DO

Verb stem + 〜にくい + です / ます

その宿題はやりやすくて楽しいです。Sono shukudai wa yariyasukute tanoshii desu.That homework is easy and fun to do.
この仕事はやりにくくて疲れます。Kono shigoto wa yarinikukute tsukaremasu.This job is difficult to do and tiring.
その質問は答えやすくて助かります。Sono shitsumon wa kotaeyasukute tasukarimasu.That question is easy to answer and helpful.
View More Examples:
その薬は飲みにくいです。Sono kusuri wa nominikui desu.That medicine is difficult to take.
彼の説明は分かりやすいです。Kare no setsumei wa wakariyasui desu.His explanation is easy to understand.
その説明書は分かりにくいです。Sono setsumeisho wa wakarinikui desu.That manual is difficult to understand.

PAST FORM OF やすい & にくい

やすかった yasukatta
にくかった nikukatta

To create the past tense, simply change the ending to 〜やすかった (yasukatta) for “was easy to do” or 〜にくかった (nikukatta) for “was difficult to do.”

PATTERN // WAS EASY TO DO

Verb stem + 〜やすかった

PATTERN // WAS DIFFICULT TO DO

Verb stem + 〜にくかった

この本は読みやすかったです。 このペンは書きにくかったです。
Kono hon wa yomiyasukatta desu.Kono pen wa kakiyasukatta desu.
This book was easy to read.This pen was difficult to write with
View More Examples:

EASY:

その道は歩きやすかったです。Sono michi wa arukiyasukatta desu.That road was easy to walk on.
彼の日本語は聞きやすかったです。Kare no Nihongo wa kikiyasukatta desu.His Japanese was easy to understand
(lit. easy to listen to).
この服は着やすかったです。Kono fuku wa kiyasukatta desu.These clothes were easy to wear.

DIFFICULT:

この肉は硬くて食べにくかったです。Kono niku wa katakute tabenikukatta desu.This meat was tough and difficult to eat.
この靴は歩きにくかったです。Kono kutsu wa arukinikutatta desu.These shoes were difficult to walk in.
この問題は解きにくかったです。Kono mondai wa tokinikukatta desu.This problem was difficult to solve.

NEGATIVE FORM OF やすい & にくい

やすくない yasukunai
にくくない nikukunai

To create the negative tense, simply change the ending to 〜やすくない (yasukunai) for “not easy to do” or 〜にくくない (nikukunai) for “not difficult to do.”

PATTERN // NOT EASY TO DO

Verb stem + 〜やすくない

PATTERN // NOT DIFFICULT TO DO

Verb stem + 〜にくくない

この本は読みやすくないです。 その字は読みにくくないです。
Kono hon wa yomiyasukunai desu.Sono ji wa yominikukunai desu.
This book is not easy to read.That handwriting is not difficult to read.
View More Examples:

EASY:

その道は歩きやすくないです。Sono michi wa arukiyasukunai desu.That road is not easy to walk on.
この服は着やすくないです。Kono fuku wa kiyasukunai desu.These clothes are not easy to wear.
このプログラムは使いやすくないです。Kono puroguramu wa tsukaiyasukunai desu.This program is not easy to use.

DIFFICULT:

彼の話し方は聞きにくくないです。Kare no hanashikata wa kikinikukunai desu.His way of speaking is not difficult to understand
(lit. not difficult to listen to).
このボタンは押しにくくないです。Kono botan wa oshinikukunai desu.This button is not difficult to press.
この肉は食べにくくないです。Kono niku wa tabenikukunai desu.This meat is not difficult to eat.

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FAQs

How to express an easy action in Japanese?

The suffix 〜やすい is used to indicate that an action is easy to do.

It attaches to the verb stem, which is the base form of the verb without the ます (masu) ending for verbs in the polite form.

この本は読みやすいです。

Kono hon wa yomiyasui desu.

This book is easy to read.

How to express a difficult action in Japanese?

The suffix 〜にくい is used to indicate that an action is difficult to do.

Similar to 〜やすい (yasui), it attaches to the verb stem.

この肉は硬くて食べにくいです。

Kono niku wa katakute tabenikui desu.

This meat is tough and difficult to eat.

Can やすい and にくい be used with all verbs?

Generally, 〜やすい (yasui) and 〜にくい (nikui) can be used with most verbs to indicate ease or difficulty of the action.

However, their usage might not always make sense with certain verbs due to the nature of the action described by the verb.

For instance, abstract verbs or verbs that inherently describe a state rather than an action might not be suitable for these suffixes.

Always consider the context and meaning of the verb when applying these structures.

How do I form the verb for やすい?

To form the verb stem, remove the ます (masu) ending from the polite form of the verb.

For example, the verb 読む (yomu – to read) in its polite form is 読みます (yomimasu).

Removing ます (masu) leaves you with 読み (yomi), which is the verb stem.

You can then add 〜やすい (yasui) or 〜にくい (nikui) to this stem: 読みやすい (yomiyasui – easy to read) and 読みにくい (yominikui – difficult to read).

Where can I find more lessons like this?

Check out our Japanese Grammar Bank, where you’ll find lessons for levels A1, A2, B1 and B2.

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