JLPT N3 grammar
〜がち — Meaning & Examples
Tends to / prone to — a repeated pattern over time, ます-stem + がち. 遅刻しがち = tends to be late. Usually mildly negative.
〜がち — A Repeated Tendency
〜がち = tends to / prone to — describes a pattern that keeps happening, almost always something mildly negative.
Formation: ます-stem + がち (also noun + がち)
彼は遅刻しがちだ。
= He tends to be late. (it happens repeatedly)
最近、天気が曇りがちです。
= Lately the weather has been mostly cloudy. (a recurring pattern over days)
一人暮らしを始めると、食生活が乱れがちになる。
= When you start living alone, your eating habits tend to become irregular.
病気がち, 遠慮がち, 忘れがち are all fixed, extremely common combinations:
病気がちな子供 = a child prone to getting sick
遠慮がちに話す = to speak hesitantly / holding back
がち is about a PATTERN over time — not a one-off, and not a feeling right now. That distinction is exactly what separates it from 気味, next. 📊
Practice questions
Try these 2 questions on 〜がち. Pick an answer in your head, then open “Show answer”.
1. 「彼は遅刻しがちだ」 means?
- He was late once
- He will be late tomorrow
- He is never late
- He tends to be late (a repeated pattern)
Show answer
Answer: He tends to be late (a repeated pattern)
〜がち describes a pattern that keeps recurring, almost always mildly negative.
2. What is the key difference between 〜がち and 〜気味?
- がち = a repeated pattern over time; 気味 = one mild state right now
- No difference
- がち is only for weather; 気味 is only for health
- 気味 is more negative than がち
Show answer
Answer: がち = a repeated pattern over time; 気味 = one mild state right now
忘れがち (often forgets, a pattern) vs 疲れ気味 (a bit tired now, a current mild state).
Practise 〜がち in the free app
This point is part of the “📐 Tendency and Proportion — がち・気味・わりに・にしては” lesson in A Star Japanese. Study it with examples, a quiz, flashcards and timed JLPT N3 mock exams. Free on iPhone and Android.
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Related N3 grammar points
From the same lesson: 📐 Tendency and Proportion — がち・気味・わりに・にしては
Frequently asked questions
What does 〜がち mean?
Tends to / prone to — a repeated pattern over time, ます-stem + がち. 遅刻しがち = tends to be late. Usually mildly negative.
Is 〜がち on the JLPT N3 test?
〜がち is taught in the JLPT N3 grammar course in A Star Japanese (lesson “📐 Tendency and Proportion — がち・気味・わりに・にしては”), so it is a pattern learners at this level are expected to recognise. The JLPT does not publish an official grammar list, so treat this as a study guide rather than an official requirement.
How can I practise 〜がち?
Open the “📐 Tendency and Proportion — がち・気味・わりに・にしては” lesson in the free A Star Japanese app for iPhone and Android. It has examples, a quiz after every lesson, flashcards with spaced repetition and timed JLPT N3 mock exams, with no ads.