N4 Sequential Actions
~やすい/~にくい: meaning, usage and examples
~やすい/~にくい means: easy to... / hard to...
How to form it
＜Verb ます-stem＞ + やすい / にくい (e.g. 歩きやすい, 覚えにくい)
Examples
この靴は歩きやすいです。
These shoes are easy to walk in.
この漢字は覚えにくいです。
This kanji is hard to remember.
先生の説明はとても分かりやすいです。
The teacher's explanation is very easy to understand.
このペンは書きにくいです。
This pen is hard to write with.
When to use it
やすい means something is easy to do, and にくい means it is hard to do: この靴は歩きやすいです, この漢字は覚えにくいです. Use them to describe objects, places and explanations from the user's point of view. やすい can also mean something tends to happen: この時期は風邪をひきやすいです.
Nuance
Neutral. Both work like い-adjectives: 分かりにくかったです, 使いやすくて. にくい suggests the thing itself makes the action difficult, not your own lack of skill. They describe properties of the thing, not your feelings.
Compare
やさしい / 難しい describe whether a task itself is easy or hard: この問題は難しいです. やすい / にくい attach to a verb: 読みやすい本 (a book that is easy to read). にくい vs づらい: づらい stresses discomfort or effort felt by the person.
Tip: Always use the ます-stem: 食べやすい, not 食べるやすい. Then conjugate the whole word like an い-adjective: 使いやすくない, 使いやすかった, 使いやすくて.
More in Sequential Actions
- ~ないで: without V-ing
- ~てから vs ~あとで: both mean "after": てから stresses the order (do A first, then B) or a precondition; あとで simply places B later than A
- ~までに: before..., by... (time limit)
Frequently asked questions
What does ~やすい/~にくい mean?
Easy to... / hard to.... Example: この靴は歩きやすいです。 (These shoes are easy to walk in.)
How do you form ~やすい/~にくい?
＜Verb ます-stem＞ + やすい / にくい (e.g. 歩きやすい, 覚えにくい). Always use the ます-stem: 食べやすい, not 食べるやすい. Then conjugate the whole word like an い-adjective: 使いやすくない, 使いやすかった, 使いやすくて.