～やすい (easy to)

Japanese Grammar Basic Japanese ★★★★ 4/5 neutral やすいyasui
Reading やすい
Romaji yasui
Formation Verb ます-stem + やすい
Kanji breakdown 易 (えき/やす.い) — easy, simple

Meaning

A suffix attached to the ます stem of verbs to express that an action is easy to do. It describes the inherent ease or tendency of something to occur.

やすい attaches to the ます stem of a verb (読み → 読みやすい, 使い → 使いやすい) and the resulting word functions as an い-adjective, meaning it can be conjugated like one: やすかった (past), やすくない (negative), やすくて (て form). It can describe either objective ease (this book is easy to read) or a natural tendency (this fabric tears easily). The subject of the sentence is typically the object being acted upon, not the person performing the action. This contrasts with English, where 'easy to read' uses the infinitive. やすい pairs with にくい, which expresses the opposite meaning — something being hard to do. Learners should remember to use the ます stem, not the dictionary form, and that the result is an adjective, not a verb.

Examples

  1. この辞書はとても使いやすい。 This dictionary is very easy to use.
  2. 白い服は汚れやすいです。 White clothes get dirty easily.
  3. この道は夜歩きやすくなった。 This road has become easier to walk at night.

Usage Guide

Context: spoken, written, everyday

Tone: evaluative

Do Say

  • このペンは書きやすいです。
  • あの先生の授業は分かりやすい。
  • 夏は食べ物が腐りやすい。

Don't Say

  • この本は読むやすい。(Using dictionary form before やすい — use ます stem: 読みやすい) → この本は読みやすい。
  • 使いやすいだ。(Adding だ after an い-adjective ending — やすい is an い-adjective and does not take だ) → 使いやすい。

Origin & History

やすい derives from the classical adjective 易い meaning 'easy' or 'simple.' When combined with verb stems, it forms compound adjectives indicating that the action described by the verb is easy to perform or prone to happening.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal

Related Phrases

～て (て form) The て form is one of the most versatile verb and adjective conjugations in Japanese. It connects clauses, forms compound verbs, makes requests, and serves as the base for many auxiliary constructions such as ている, てしまう, and ておく. ～てくる (1) (directional) An auxiliary verb construction where くる follows the て form to express that someone or something moves toward the speaker. It indicates physical movement in the direction of the speaker's location. ～てみる (try doing) An auxiliary verb construction where みる follows the て form to express trying or attempting an action to see what happens or what it is like. It conveys the nuance of doing something experimentally or for the first time. ～ことができる (able to) A construction expressing ability or possibility. It states that doing a particular action is possible, either because of personal skill, circumstances, or permission. It is the formal equivalent of the potential form of verbs. ～すぎる (too much) An auxiliary verb attached to verb stems and adjective stems to express that something is done excessively or a state is excessive. It conveys the meaning of 'too much' or 'overly.' ～ていく (1) (moving away) An auxiliary verb construction where いく follows the て form of a verb to indicate that an action or movement proceeds in a direction away from the speaker or a reference point. It describes going somewhere while doing something, or doing something and then going. ～ていく (2) (ongoing change) An auxiliary verb construction where いく follows the て form of a verb to express that an action or state continues to change or progress from the present into the future. It describes a gradual, ongoing shift moving forward in time. ～ておく (in advance) An auxiliary verb attached to the て form indicating that an action is done in advance, in preparation for a future need or situation. It conveys the idea of doing something ahead of time and leaving the result in place.
Practice this on WordLoci

Flashcards, quizzes, audio pronunciation and spaced repetition