JLPT N4: ～にくい (hard to VERB)

In the last lesson, we saw how ～やすい can attach to the ます-stem of VERBS when we want to say "easy to VERB."

In contrast to that, ～にくい attaches to the ます-stem of VERBS when we want to say "hard to VERB" or "difficult to VERB."

An example:

この鍋は重くて使いにくいです。
この　なべ　は　おもくて　つかいにくい　です。
This pot is heavy and difficult to use.
Literally: “this + pot / saucepan + は + heavy (and) + hard to use + です.”

So, that's...

使う（つかう // to use）
↓
使います（つかいます // use）
↓
使いにくい（つかいにくい // hard to use）

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The pattern:

V ます ＋ にくい
hard to VERB

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In our next example, we'll use the verb:

寝る（ねる // to sleep）
↓
寝ます（ねます // sleep）
↓
寝にくい（ねにくい // hard to sleep）

腰を怪我してから、うつぶせで寝にくくなった。
こし　を　けが　して　から、　うつぶせ　で　ねにくく　なった。
Ever since I hurt my (lower) back, it’s been hard to sleep on my stomach.
Literally: “back / lower back / (area around the) waist + を + injury + do (and) + from, + lying on one’s stomach + で + hard to sleep + became.”

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～にくい can be used in both negative and positive sentences (as can ～やすい).

For example:

白い車は汚れが目立ちにくいです。
しろい　くるま　は　よごれ　が　めだちにくい　です。
White cars tend to look less dirty.
Literally: “white + car + は + dirt / filth + が + hard to stand out + です.”

目立つ（めだつ // to stand out; to be conspicuous）
↓
目立ちます（めだちます // stands out; is conspicuous）
↓
目立ちにくい（目立ちにくい // less likely to stand out）

I suppose I could have put "With white cars, it's hard for dirt to stand out," but "White cars tend to look less dirty" sounded like more natural English to me.

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Last one:

太る（ふとる // to gain weight）
↓
太ります（ふとります // gain weight）
↓
太りにくい（ふとりにくい // hard to gain weight）

Again, you'll see that my full-sentence translation is not very literal:

ココナッツオイルは太りにくい油です。
ココナッツオイル　は　ふとりにくい　あぶら　です。
You’re less likely to gain weight from coconut oil.
Literally: “coconut oil + は + hard to gain weight + oil + です.”

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Finished!

Both ～やすい and ～にくい are used quite commonly, so be sure to master them!

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