Learn which expression to use when it's difficult to do something
Unlock Lesson Notes and Transcripts for every single lesson. Sign Up for a Free Lifetime Account and Get 7 Days of Premium Access.
| Hi everybody! Hiroko here. Welcome to Ask a Teacher, where I’ll answer some of your most common Japanese questions. |
| The question for this lesson is…When it’s difficult to do something, which expression should I use? ～にくい(~nikui), ～がたい(~gatai) or ～づらい(~zurai)? |
| There are many ways to express that something is difficult in Japanese, so how do you know which expression to use and when? |
| ～にくい(~nikui), ～がたい(~gatai) and ～づらい(~zurai) all have slightly different meanings. Let’s go over them together. |
| ～にくい(~nikui) means that something is difficult to do or it takes great effort to do it. For example, if I say, 言いにくい(ii nikui), it means that it’s difficult for me to say something. It could be because it’s a sensitive matter or it’s hard to put into words. |
| ～がたい(~gatai) means doing something that’s almost impossible. For example, if we use a similar example as the one we used previously, 言いがたい(ii gatai) means you are almost not able to put something into words. It’s seemingly impossible. |
| ～づらい(~zurai) means that you don’t feel comfortable doing something. If we use a similar example to the two used previously, 言いづらい(ii zurai) would mean that there’s something I want to say, but I don’t feel comfortable saying it and that’s why it’s difficult. |
| Let’s go through some examples so you can learn how to use ～にくい(~nikui), ～がたい(~gatai) and ～づらい(~zurai). |
| First, let’s do an example with ～にくい(~nikui)-- |
| この料理は、とても見た目がいいけど、食べにくい。(Kono ryōri wa, totemo mita-me ga ii kedo, tabe nikui.) |
| This phrase means, “This dish is very well presented, but it’s difficult to eat.” Imagine you are served a Japanese dinner that looks too beautiful or intricate to eat. The meaning implies the activity is difficult to do, so we need to use ～にくい(~nikui). |
| Now, let’s do an example with ～がたい(~gatai)-- |
| 信じがたいことだけど、本当です。(Shinji gatai koto da kedo, hontō desu.) |
| This phrase means, “(I know) It’s difficult to believe, but it’s true.” In this situation, it means that the information you received seems so far-fetched or out there, that it’s almost impossible to believe. That’s why we need to use ～がたい(~gatai). |
| Lastly, let’s do an example with ～づらい(~zurai)-- |
| 泣いている母を置いて出発しづらい。(Naite iru haha o oite shuppatsu shi zurai.) |
| This phrase means, “It’s difficult for me to depart, leaving (my) crying mother behind.” Imagine if you have to leave your mother when she’s really upset or in tears. That can be an uncomfortable situation that you can’t shake. That’s why you would use ～づらい(~zurai). |
| How was this lesson? Pretty interesting, right? |
| Do you have any more questions? Leave them in the comments below and I’ll try to answer them! |
| またね！[mata ne!] See you! |
Comments
Hide