Learn Japanese – what is Japanese "Easy to do"

Learn Japanese quickly! Some things in life are easy and others are difficult. It can be easy to cook a simple meal, but very difficult to get up early in the morning. Imagine trying to speak English without being able to express “it’s easy” and “it’s difficult.” It would be almost impossible! In this article for Japanese beginners, you will learn how to express that something is “easy to do” or “difficult to do” in Japanese. You will discover the various masu Japanese word forms you will need. In addition, you will find all kinds of example sentences that you can incorporate into your everyday Japanese.

Vocabulary: In this article, you will learn the following words and phrases:

anata – “you”

kau – “buy” (verb class 1)

karui – “light” (adjective ending -i)

haku – “put on shoes / footwear” (class 1 verb)

ninki – “popularity”

deru – “appear, leave, leave” (verb class 2)

dooshite – “Because, why”

Kanashii – “triste” (adjective ending -i)

healthy – “autograph, signature”

kaku – “to write” (verb class 1)

kutsu – “shoes, footwear”

Grammar: In this article, you will learn the following words and phrases:

Useful phrases and vocabulary

haku – “carry, put” (verb class 1)

Kiru it also means “to put on” or “to put on.” In general, we use Kiru when talking about articles that are worn on the upper part of the body, such as shirts or jacket, while haku covers items that are worn on the lower body, such as pants or shoes.

The opposite action, “take off”, is nugu, which we use for both upper and lower body.

Examples of

1. “wear jeans”? jiinzu or haku
2. “wear slippers”? suniikaa or haku
3. “wear a coat”? kooto or kiru
4. “wear a kimono”? kimono or kiru

Kochira ni sane or onegai shimasu.

“Sign here please.”

In Japanese, healthy means “signature” or “autograph”.

“Firm” – healthy gold shomei

“Autograph” – healthy

Shitsurei shimashita.

Shitsurei it means “rudeness” or “impoliteness.” Shimashita is the formal past form of the verb suru. So this phrase literally means “I was rude” and is equivalent to “I’m sorry” or “I’m sorry” in English.

Destination phrase

Kono kutsu wa karukute, haki yasui desu yo.

“These shoes are light and easy to put on.”

Kono pen wa kakinikui.

“It is difficult to write with this pen.”

The use of suffixes that form adjectives –yasui Y –nikui is today’s objective grammar point. [masu stem of a verb] + yasui Y [masu stem of a verb] + nikui means “easy to do” and “difficult to do”, respectively. They are conjugated as i-adjectives.

“Easy to do” and “Hard to do”

• [masu stem of a verb] + yasui = “easy to …”
• [masu stem of a verb] + nikui = “difficult (or difficult) to …”

Class 1 verbs

“English” / Dictionary form / Masu form / Masu Stem / “Easy to …” (…yasui) / “Hard to …” (…nikui)

“use” / tsukau / tsukaimasu / tsukai / tsukaiyasui / tsukainikui

“to write” / kaku / kakimasu / khaki / kakiyasui / kakinikui

“speak” / hanasu / hanashimasu / hanashi / hanashiyasui / hanashinikui

“hold” / motsu / mochimasu / mochi / mochiyasui / mochinikui

“to live” / his MU / Sumimasu / sumi / sumiyasui / supplyikui

“sit down” / suwaru / suwarimasu / suwari / suwariyasui / suwarinikui

Class 2 verbs

“English” / Dictionary form / Masu form / Masu Stem / “Easy to …” (…yasui) / “Hard to …” (…nikui)

“to see” / miru / mimasu / half / miyasui / minikui

“use” / Kiru / kimasu / ki / Kiyasui / kinikui

“eat” / taberu / tabemasu / tabe / tabeyasui / tabenikui

Class 3 verbs

“English” / Dictionary form / Masu form / Masu Stem / “Easy to …” (…yasui) / “Hard to …” (…nikui)

“to do” / suru / shimasu / shi / shiyasui / shinikui

“come” / kuru / kimasu / ki / Kiyasui / kinikui

Examples of

1. Hawaii wa totemo sumiyasui tokoro desu. Hawaii is a pretty livable place.
2. Tookyoo wa totemo suppliesikui tokoro desu. Tokyo is a very difficult place to live.>
3. Kono kutsu wa omokute, arukinikui desu. These shoes are heavy and difficult (uncomfortable) to walk on.
4. Kono kutsu wa karukute, arukiyasui desu.

   These shoes are light and easy (comfortable) to walk on.

Practice

Please complete the sentences by changing the verbs to their appropriate forms.

1. Kono ji wa chiisakute, ___________________________ (yomu). (Hee means “letter”).
2. Suniikaa wa, ___________________________ (haku). (suniikAA means “slippers”).
3. Kono michi wa hirokute,___________________________ (spread suru). (michi means “street”. hiroi means “wide”. spread suru means “to drive”).