〜やすい / 〜にくい

〜やすい / 〜にくい is an adjective pattern expressing easy to / hard to. Japanese adjectives conjugate for tense and negation unlike English adjectives, making them more similar to verbs. Understanding adjective patterns allows you to describe qualities, states, and degrees with precision.

This is an intermediate pattern used regularly in everyday Japanese conversation and writing.

Formation#

Attach to the ます-stem. Conjugates as an い-adjective (e.g., 読みやすかった).

When to Use#

• When describing how easy an action is to perform (〜やすい)
• When describing how difficult an action is to perform (〜にくい)

When NOT to Use#

• When the meaning is closer to "too much ~" — use 〜すぎる instead
• In very formal writing where a more sophisticated expression would be expected

Example Sentences#

• この果物は食べやすいです。 — This fruit is easy to eat.
• この野菜は洗いにくいです。 — This vegetable is hard to wash.
• 通知音が聞こえにくいです。 — The notification sound is hard to hear.

Practice#

Try reading these sentences aloud, then check the translation and vocabulary:

Common Mistakes#

1. Confusing 〜やすい / 〜にくい with 〜すぎる — While both are related, 〜やすい / 〜にくい expresses "easy to / hard to" whereas 〜すぎる expresses "too much ~." Pay attention to the specific nuance each pattern conveys.
2. Direct translation from English — The concept expressed by 〜やすい / 〜にくい may not map one-to-one with its English translation. Focus on understanding the Japanese usage through example sentences rather than relying on the English gloss.

Related Patterns#

• 〜すぎる (too much ~) — Compare