段取りが悪い

• Reading: だんどりがわるい
• Romaji: dandori ga warui
• Kanji breakdown: 段 (dan) — step, stage; 取 (tori) — take, handle; 悪 (waru) — bad
• Pronunciation: /daɴ.do.ɾi.ɡa.ɰa.ɾɯ.i/

Meaning

Poorly organised; badly planned; having inefficient arrangements.

An adjectival phrase combining 段取り (arrangements) with が悪い (is bad). Used to criticise inefficient planning or disorganised execution. The opposite expression is 段取りがいい (well-organised). Common in workplace feedback and daily conversation when things do not proceed smoothly.

Examples

1. 段取りが悪いせいで予定より二時間も遅れた。 Poor planning caused a two-hour delay from the schedule.
2. 彼の段取りが悪いといつも周りが困る。 When his planning is sloppy, it always causes problems for everyone around him.
3. 段取りが悪いと感じたら早めに計画を見直そう。 If you feel like things are poorly organized, revise the plan sooner rather than later.

Usage Guide

Context: workplace, daily life, feedback, complaints

Tone: critical

Origin & History

A natural collocation of 段取り (dandori, arrangements — originally from kabuki) with the adjective phrase が悪い (ga warui, is bad). A standard evaluative expression in Japanese.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal