JLPT N4 grammar
〜やすい — Meaning & Examples
ます-stem + やすい = easy to do, or prone to happening. 読みやすい = easy to read; 汚れやすい = gets dirty easily. Conjugates as an い-adjective.
〜やすい and 〜にくい — Easy and Hard to Do
Attach these to a verb stem to say something is easy or hard to do.
Formation: ます-stem + やすい / にくい
食べます → 食べやすい = easy to eat
読みます → 読みにくい = hard to read
They behave as い-adjectives — so they conjugate like any other:
読みやすい → 読みやすくない → 読みやすかった
Examples:
この本は読みやすいです。
= This book is easy to read.
この字は小さくて読みにくい。
= This writing is small and hard to read.
このスプーンは使いやすいですね。
= This spoon is easy to use, isn't it?
雨の日は道が滑りやすいので、気をつけて。
= Roads get slippery on rainy days, so be careful.
A useful subtlety: 〜やすい can also mean "prone to" — not just convenient, but tends to happen:
このシャツは汚れやすい。 = This shirt gets dirty easily.
彼は疲れやすい。 = He tires easily.
〜にくい vs 〜づらい: づらい implies it is painful or awkward for me, while にくい is neutral difficulty.
言いにくい = hard to say (objectively)
言いづらい = hard for me to bring up (emotionally awkward)
Practice questions
Try these 2 questions on 〜やすい. Pick an answer in your head, then open “Show answer”.
1. この本は読みやすいです means?
- This book is easy to read
- This book is hard to read
- I want to read this book
- I read this book often
Show answer
Answer: This book is easy to read
ます-stem + やすい = easy to do. 読みやすい = easy to read. It conjugates as an い-adjective.
2. このシャツは汚れやすい shows which meaning of やすい?
- Convenient to use
- Comfortable
- Cheap
- Prone to happening
Show answer
Answer: Prone to happening
やすい also means "tends to / is prone to." 汚れやすい = gets dirty easily. Same for 疲れやすい = tires easily.
Practise 〜やすい in the free app
This point is part of the “⚖️ Easy, Hard, Too Much — 〜やすい・〜にくい・〜すぎる・〜ながら” lesson in A Star Japanese. Study it with examples, a quiz, flashcards and timed JLPT N4 mock exams. Free on iPhone and Android.
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Related N4 grammar points
From the same lesson: ⚖️ Easy, Hard, Too Much — 〜やすい・〜にくい・〜すぎる・〜ながら
Frequently asked questions
What does 〜やすい mean?
ます-stem + やすい = easy to do, or prone to happening. 読みやすい = easy to read; 汚れやすい = gets dirty easily. Conjugates as an い-adjective.
Is 〜やすい on the JLPT N4 test?
〜やすい is taught in the JLPT N4 grammar course in A Star Japanese (lesson “⚖️ Easy, Hard, Too Much — 〜やすい・〜にくい・〜すぎる・〜ながら”), 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 〜やすい?
Open the “⚖️ Easy, Hard, Too Much — 〜やすい・〜にくい・〜すぎる・〜ながら” 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 N4 mock exams, with no ads.