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A2 noun #1,500 le plus courant 6 min de lecture

～やすい

-yasui Top 1,500

At the A1 level, you learn the very basics of '～やすい'. You use it to describe simple daily objects. For example, 'This water is easy to drink' (Kono mizu wa nomiyasui desu) or 'This bread is easy to eat' (Kono pan wa tabeyasui desu). At this stage, you only need to know how to take the -masu form of a verb, drop the -masu, and add 'yasui'. You treat it like a simple description of a thing you are using. You don't need to worry about complex likelihoods yet; just focus on physical ease. Remember that it's an 'i-adjective', so you say 'nomiyasui desu' for politeness. It's a great way to start describing your environment more specifically than just saying 'good' or 'bad'.

At the A2 level, you expand your use of '～やすい' to describe more varied activities and tools. You start using it for things like 'easy to walk in' (arukiyasui) for shoes or 'easy to use' (tsukaiyasui) for tools like smartphones or scissors. You also begin to learn the negative form '～やすくない' and the past tense '～やすかった'. You might use it to compare two things, such as 'This pen is easier to write with than that one'. You are also introduced to the idea that it can describe people, like someone who is 'easy to talk to' (hanashiyasui). This level is about making your daily descriptions more functional and helpful in conversation.

At the B1 level, you move beyond physical ease and start using '～やすい' to describe tendencies and likelihoods. This is a significant shift. You might say 'I catch colds easily' (kaze o hikiyasui) or 'This glass breaks easily' (kono garasu wa kowareyasui). You understand that '～やすい' can describe an inherent characteristic of an object or person that leads to a certain result. You also learn to distinguish '～やすい' from '～がち' (tending to) and '～そう' (looks like). You can use it in more complex sentences, like 'Because I have sensitive skin, I easily get rashes.' Your vocabulary of verbs that pair with '～やすい' grows to include more abstract concepts like 'forgetting' (wasureyasui) or 'understanding' (wakariyasui).

At the B2 level, you use '～やすい' with a high degree of nuance. You can explain the difference between 'kantan' (simple) and '～やすい' (easy to perform) in detail. You use it in professional settings to describe user experience (UX) or system tendencies. For example, 'This software is prone to errors when processing large files' (kono sofuto wa era- ga deyasui). You also start to recognize its use in formal writing and news reports where it describes social trends or statistical likelihoods. You are comfortable conjugating it into various forms like '～やすければ' (if it's easy to...) or '～やすくするために' (in order to make it easier to...). You understand the subtle difference between 'yasui' as a suffix and 'yasui' as 'cheap' in puns or complex wordplay.

At the C1 level, you use '～やすい' naturally in academic or literary contexts. You might discuss how certain linguistic structures are 'easy to misinterpret' (gokai sareyasui) or how historical events were 'likely to occur' given the circumstances. You can use it to critique literature, noting that an author's style is 'accessible' (shitashimiyasui). You also understand the psychological implications when used to describe human behavior, such as 'people are prone to cognitive biases' (hito wa ninchi-baiasu ni ochi-iyasui). You can switch between '～やすい' and more formal alternatives like '～がち' or '～の傾向がある' (have a tendency to) depending on the required register. Your usage is indistinguishable from a native speaker's in its subtlety.

At the C2 level, you have a complete mastery of '～やすい', including its most subtle connotations and its role in the history of the Japanese language. You can use it to discuss philosophical concepts, such as the 'transience of life' being something 'easy to forget' (wasureyasui) in the modern world. You understand how '～やすい' can be used ironically or in highly specific technical jargon. You can analyze how the suffix affects the focus of a sentence compared to other structures. You are also aware of regional variations or archaic uses that might appear in classical literature. Your command of the language allows you to use '～やすい' to create specific emotional resonances in your writing or oratory, perfectly balancing clarity and nuance.

Entraîne-toi Exemples Notes et astuces

～やすい en 30 secondes

～やすい is a suffix attached to the masu-stem of verbs to indicate that an action is easy to perform or a state is likely to occur.
It transforms the verb into an i-adjective, meaning it conjugates for negative (～やすくない) and past (～やすかった) forms like any other i-adjective.
Commonly used to describe user-friendly products (tsukai-yasui) or personal tendencies like catching colds easily (kaze o hiki-yasui).
It is the direct opposite of ～にくい (nikui), which means 'hard to do', and they share the same conjugation rules.

The Japanese suffix ～やすい is a fundamental grammar point that every learner encounters early in their journey. At its core, it expresses that an action is physically or mentally easy to perform. For example, if a book is written in simple language, it is yomiyasui (easy to read). If a pen fits perfectly in your hand, it is kakiyasui (easy to write with). However, its meaning extends beyond just 'ease'. It also describes a tendency or a high probability of something happening, often something negative like 'getting sick easily' or 'breaking easily'.

Primary Meaning: Indicates that the physical or cognitive effort required to complete an action is low. It focuses on the quality of the object being acted upon.

このペンはとても書きやすいです。
(This pen is very easy to write with.)

When we use ～やすい, we are essentially turning a verb into an adjective. This means the new word follows all the rules of i-adjectives. You can make it negative (～やすくない), past tense (～やすかった), or even use it to modify a noun (～やすい本). This versatility is what makes it so common in daily Japanese conversation.

Secondary Meaning: Describes a tendency or likelihood. For example, 'kaze o hikiyasui' means 'prone to catching colds.' This is often used for spontaneous occurrences.

冬は風邪をひきやすいです。
(It's easy to catch a cold in winter / One is prone to colds in winter.)

Understanding the difference between 'ease' and 'tendency' is key to reaching intermediate proficiency. While A2 learners focus on 'easy to eat' or 'easy to use', B1 and B2 learners start using it to describe complex social tendencies or mechanical faults. It is a bridge between simple description and nuanced observation of the world around us.

Using ～やすい requires a simple two-step conjugation process. First, you take a verb in its polite form (the -masu form). Second, you remove the '-masu' and attach 'やすい'. This resulting word is treated exactly like an i-adjective. Let's look at the mechanics in detail.

The Conjugation Rule: Verb (Masu-stem) + やすい.
Example: 飲みます (nomimasu) → 飲み (nomi) + やすい = 飲みやすい (nomiyasui).

この靴は歩きやすいです。
(These shoes are easy to walk in.)

Because the result is an i-adjective, you must conjugate the 'い' at the end for different tenses. This is a common point of confusion for beginners who try to conjugate the original verb. Once 'やすい' is attached, the original verb's rules no longer apply; only the adjective rules do.

Adjective Conjugations: Present Negative: ～やすくない
Past Affirmative: ～やすかった
Past Negative: ～やすくなかった

漢字は覚えにくいですが、ひらがなは覚えやすいです。
(Kanji are hard to remember, but hiragana are easy to remember.)

It is also important to note that ～やすい is generally used for actions that involve a physical or psychological process. It describes the inherent properties of an object that make an action easy. If you want to say something is 'easy' in a general sense (like an easy exam), you would use the standalone adjective 'kantan' or 'yasashii' instead.

You will encounter ～やすい in almost every corner of Japanese life, from commercial advertisements to medical advice. It is a highly practical expression used to describe the user-friendliness of products or the characteristics of people and environments.

In Advertising: Companies use it to highlight product features. 'Tsukai-yasui' (easy to use) is perhaps the most common phrase in Japanese marketing.

このスマホは画面が大きくて見やすいです。
(This smartphone's screen is large and easy to see.)

In a social context, it is used to describe people's personalities. Someone who is 'hanashi-yasui' is easy to talk to—approachable and friendly. Conversely, someone might be 'okori-yasui' (quick to anger/irritable). These descriptions are vital for navigating Japanese social dynamics and understanding how people perceive one another.

In the Kitchen: Recipes often use 'tabe-yasui' to describe food that is cut into bite-sized pieces or prepared in a way that is easy for children or the elderly to consume.

子供のために、野菜を食べやすく切りました。
(I cut the vegetables into easy-to-eat pieces for the children.)

Whether you are reading a manual, listening to a friend complain about their 'break-easy' umbrella (koware-yasui), or watching a TV host describe a 'nomi-yasui' wine, this grammar point is everywhere. It bridges the gap between objective description and subjective experience.

While ～やすい is relatively straightforward, there are several pitfalls that learners often fall into. The most common errors involve conjugation, word choice, and confusing it with similar-sounding words.

Mistake 1: Using the wrong verb form: Learners often try to attach it to the dictionary form (e.g., *taberu-yasui) instead of the stem (tabe-yasui). Always drop the -masu first!

❌ 読むやすい (Yumu-yasui)
✅ 読みやすい (Yomi-yasui)

Another frequent error is confusing ～やすい with the standalone adjective yasashii (easy/kind) or kantan (simple). Use ～やすい when you are describing an action being easy. Use kantan for a task or problem that isn't difficult.

Mistake 2: Overusing it for 'probability': While it can mean 'likely to', it usually refers to a general tendency or a characteristic, not a one-time prediction. For a one-time prediction like 'It looks like it will rain today,' use '～そうです' instead.

❌ 今日は雨が降りやすいです (Today it's easy to rain - sounds like a general rule).
✅ 今日は雨が降りそうです (It looks like it will rain today).

Finally, remember that when you make it negative, you must change the 'i' to 'ku nai'. Beginners often say 'yasui nai', which is grammatically incorrect in Japanese. Treat it like 'oishii' or 'takai'.

To truly master ～やすい, you must understand how it compares to other words that express ease or difficulty. Japanese has several ways to say 'easy', and choosing the wrong one can make your speech sound unnatural.

～やすい vs. 易しい (yasashii): 'Yasashii' is an adjective meaning 'easy' (not difficult) or 'kind'. It is used for problems, exams, or people. '～やすい' is a suffix for verbs.

このテストは易しいです。(This test is easy.)
このペンは書きやすいです。(This pen is easy to write with.)

The direct opposite of ～やすい is ～にくい (nikui), which means 'hard to do'. They follow the exact same conjugation rules. If something is not 'yomiyasui', it is often 'yominikui'.

～やすい vs. 簡単 (kantan): 'Kantan' is a na-adjective meaning 'simple'. It refers to the lack of complexity. '～やすい' refers to the smoothness of the action itself.

信じがたい話 (An unbelievable story - hard to believe emotionally).
信じやすい人 (A gullible person - easy to believe things).

By comparing these terms, we see that ～やすい is specifically tied to the process of the verb it attaches to. It describes a functional ease rather than a conceptual simplicity.

How Formal Is It?

Formel

Informel

Niveau de difficulté

Grammaire à connaître

Exemples par niveau

この水は飲みやすいです。

This water is easy to drink.

nomi (stem) + yasui

このパンは食べやすいです。

This bread is easy to eat.

tabe (stem) + yasui

この本は読みやすいです。

This book is easy to read.

yomi (stem) + yasui

ひらがなは書きやすいです。

Hiragana is easy to write.

kaki (stem) + yasui

この歌は歌いやすいです。

This song is easy to sing.

utai (stem) + yasui

その町は住みやすいです。

That town is easy to live in.

sumi (stem) + yasui

この靴は歩きやすいです。

These shoes are easy to walk in.

aruki (stem) + yasui

このペンは使いやすいです。

This pen is easy to use.

tsukai (stem) + yasui

このスマホは画面が大きくて見やすいです。

This smartphone's screen is large and easy to see.

mi (stem) + yasui

田中さんは話しやすい人です。

Mr. Tanaka is an easy person to talk to.

hanashi (stem) + yasui

この料理は作りやすいですよ。

This dish is easy to make, you know.

tsukuri (stem) + yasui

新しい辞書は引きやすいです。

The new dictionary is easy to look up words in.

hiki (stem) + yasui

このシャツは汚れが落ちやすいです。

Stains come off easily from this shirt.

ochi (stem) + yasui

ここは静かで勉強しやすいです。

It's quiet here and easy to study.

benkyou-shi (stem) + yasui

この地図は分かりやすいですね。

This map is easy to understand, isn't it?

wakari (stem) + yasui

冬は手が乾燥しやすいです。

Hands tend to get dry easily in winter.

kansou-shi (stem) + yasui

私は冬になると風邪をひきやすいです。

I easily catch colds when it becomes winter.

Describes a physical tendency.

このコップは割れやすいので、気をつけてください。

This glass breaks easily, so please be careful.

Describes an inherent property.

最近の若者は仕事をやめやすいと言われています。

It is said that young people these days tend to quit their jobs easily.

Describes a social tendency.

この道は雨の日に滑りやすいです。

This road is easy to slip on on rainy days.

Describes a situational likelihood.

彼は怒りやすい性格をしています。

He has a personality that is quick to anger.

Describes a character trait.

この薬は眠くなりやすい成分が入っています。

This medicine contains ingredients that make you prone to sleepiness.

Describes a side effect tendency.

白い服は汚れが目立ちやすいです。

Dirt tends to stand out easily on white clothes.

Describes a visual property.

忙しいとミスをしやすくなります。

When busy, one becomes prone to making mistakes.

Describes a conditional tendency.

このシステムはバグが発生しやすい箇所があります。

This system has parts where bugs are likely to occur.

Technical tendency.

感情的になると、冷静な判断を誤りやすい。

When one becomes emotional, it's easy to make mistakes in calm judgment.

Psychological tendency.

中古車は故障しやすいというリスクがあります。

Used cars have the risk of being prone to breaking down.

Inherent risk description.

日本人は周囲の意見に同調しやすい傾向がある。

Japanese people have a tendency to easily conform to the opinions of those around them.

Sociological observation.

プラスチックは熱で変形しやすい素材です。

Plastic is a material that is easily deformed by heat.

Material science property.

このデザインは、流行に左右されやすい。

This design is easily influenced by trends.

Abstract influence.

ストレスがたまると、暴飲暴食に走りやすい。

When stress accumulates, one is prone to running into binge eating and drinking.

Behavioral tendency.

初心者は、この文法を間違えやすいポイントです。

This is a point where beginners are likely to make mistakes in grammar.

Educational observation.

彼の言葉は、しばしば誤解を招きやすい。

His words are often prone to inviting misunderstanding.

Nuanced social interaction.

独裁政権下では、汚職が蔓延しやすい環境が整ってしまう。

Under a dictatorial regime, an environment where corruption easily spreads is established.

Political analysis.

この種のウイルスは、変異を起こしやすい性質を持っている。

This type of virus has the property of being prone to causing mutations.

Scientific description.

市場は、不透明な経済状況に対して過敏に反応しやすい。

The market is prone to reacting hypersensitively to opaque economic conditions.

Economic analysis.

古典文学は、現代人にとって敬遠されやすい側面がある。

Classical literature has aspects that are easily avoided by modern people.

Cultural critique.

情報のデジタル化は、データの改ざんを容易にし、かつ発覚しやすくもする。

The digitalization of information makes data falsification easy, and also makes it easy to detect.

Complex logical structure.

人間の記憶は、時間の経過とともに書き換えられやすい。

Human memory is prone to being rewritten as time passes.

Cognitive science observation.

この理論は、実証データが不足しているため、批判を浴びやすい。

This theory is prone to drawing criticism because it lacks empirical data.

Academic critique.

権力というものは、往々にして腐敗しやすく、また人を盲目にさせやすい。

Power, more often than not, is prone to corruption and also prone to making people blind.

Philosophical maxim.

美学的な観点から言えば、簡潔な表現こそが、最も人の心に浸透しやすい。

From an aesthetic point of view, it is concise expressions that are most prone to permeating the human heart.

Aesthetic theory.

歴史の教訓は、平和な時代においては往々にして忘却されやすい運命にある。

The lessons of history are, in peaceful times, often destined to be easily forgotten.

Historical philosophy.

言語の壁は、単なる語彙の相違以上に、思考の枠組みとして固定化されやすい。

Language barriers, more than mere differences in vocabulary, are prone to becoming fixed as frameworks of thought.

Linguistic determinism.

現代社会の構造は、個人の孤独を助長し、精神的な均衡を崩しやすくさせている。

The structure of modern society promotes individual loneliness and makes it easy to disrupt mental equilibrium.

Societal critique.

真理というものは、あまりに単純であるがゆえに、かえって見過ごされやすい。

Truth, precisely because it is so simple, is instead prone to being overlooked.

Paradoxical observation.

芸術作品の価値は、同時代の評価よりも、後世の批評によって定まりやすい。

The value of a work of art is more prone to being determined by the criticism of later generations than by contemporary evaluation.

Art history theory.

文明の崩壊は、外部からの侵略よりも、内部の不和によって引き起こされやすい。

The collapse of a civilization is more prone to being caused by internal discord than by external invasion.

Macro-historical analysis.

Collocations courantes

使いやすい (tsukai-yasui) - Easy to use

飲みやすい (nomi-yasui) - Easy to drink

食べやすい (tabe-yasui) - Easy to eat

分かりやすい (wakari-yasui) - Easy to understand

間違いやすい (machigae-yasui) - Easy to mistake

壊れやすい (koware-yasui) - Easy to break

忘れやすい (wasure-yasui) - Easy to forget

汚れやすい (yogore-yasui) - Easy to get dirty

太りやすい (futori-yasui) - Easy to gain weight

話しやすい (hanashi-yasui) - Easy to talk to

Phrases Courantes

覚えやすい名前 (oboe-yasui namae) - An easy-to-remember name

風邪をひきやすい (kaze o hiki-yasui) - Prone to catching colds

滑りやすい床 (suberi-yasui yuka) - A slippery floor

燃えやすいゴミ (moe-yasui gomi) - Burnable/Flammable trash

親しみやすい人 (shitashimi-yasui hito) - An approachable person

目立ちやすい色 (medachi-yasui iro) - A stand-out color

飽きやすい性格 (aki-yasui seikaku) - A personality that gets bored easily

太りやすい体質 (futori-yasui taishitsu) - A body type that gains weight easily

伝わりやすい言葉 (tsutawari-yasui kotoba) - Words that are easy to convey

壊れやすいもの (koware-yasui mono) - Fragile things

Souvent confondu avec

～やすい vs 易しい (yasashii)

Yasashii is a standalone adjective for 'easy'; ～やすい is a suffix for verbs.

～やすい vs 安い (yasui)

Yasui means 'cheap'; ～やすい is a suffix meaning 'easy to'.

～やすい vs 簡単 (kantan)

Kantan means 'simple' (na-adjective); ～やすい describes the process of an action.

Expressions idiomatiques

Facile à confondre

～やすい vs

Structures de phrases

Famille de mots

Apparenté

Comment l'utiliser

volition

Usually used with non-volitional tendencies or objective ease.

subject marker

The object of the original verb usually becomes the subject marked by 'wa' or 'ga'.

adjective nature

Once attached, it behaves 100% like an i-adjective.

Erreurs courantes

Astuces

Stem First

Always find the -masu form first. If you can say 'tabemasu', you can say 'tabeyasui'. This is the safest way to ensure you are using the correct stem.

Pair with Nikui

Whenever you learn a new 'yasui' word, try to say the 'nikui' version. For example, 'yomiyasui' and 'yominikui'. This doubles your vocabulary instantly.

Complimenting

Use 'wakari-yasui' (easy to understand) to compliment your teacher or a colleague. It is a very natural and appreciated way to show you are following the conversation.

Tendency vs. Ability

Remember that 'koware-yasui' doesn't mean you 'can' break it easily, but that it 'tends' to break. It describes the nature of the object itself.

I-Adjective Rules

Never forget that ～やすい is an i-adjective. This means you can use it to modify nouns directly: 'tsukai-yasui kamera' (an easy-to-use camera).

Context Clues

If you hear 'yasui' at the end of a long word, it's almost certainly the suffix. If it's a short word on its own, it probably means 'cheap'.

Social Ease

In Japan, being 'approachable' (hanashi-yasui) is a key social skill. Use this word to describe people you find friendly and open.

Visual Aids

When labeling things in your house to learn Japanese, add 'yasui' or 'nikui'. For example, label a heavy door 'ake-nikui' (hard to open).

Subjectivity

～やすい is often subjective. What is 'yomiyasui' for one person might not be for another. It expresses your personal experience with the object.

Daily Reflection

At the end of the day, think of one thing that was 'shiyasui' (easy to do) and one thing that was 'shinikui' (hard to do).

Mémorise-le

Origine du mot

Derived from the adjective 'yasui' (易い), meaning easy or simple. In Old Japanese, it was used to describe things that were not difficult. Over time, it became a productive suffix for verbs.

Contexte culturel

Japanese people often discuss 'ame ga furi-yasui' (prone to rain) during the tsuyu (rainy season).

Using ～やすい is neutral, but describing a superior as 'hanashi-yasui' (easy to talk to) is a compliment.

You will see 'tsukai-yasui' on almost every kitchen gadget in Japan.

Pratique dans la vie réelle

Contextes réels

Amorces de conversation

"このペン、すごく書きやすいですよ。使ってみますか？"

"最近、風邪をひきやすいんですが、何かいい方法ありますか？"

"日本語の漢字で、どれが一番覚えやすいと思いますか？"

"この町は住みやすいと思いますか？"

"話しやすい人って、どんな人だと思いますか？"

Sujets d'écriture

今日使ったもので、一番使いやすかったものは何ですか？

あなたは「～やすい」性格ですか？（例：怒りやすい、笑いやすい）

日本語の勉強で、何が一番分かりやすいですか？

最近、壊れやすいものを見かけましたか？

自分にとって住みやすい場所はどこですか？

Questions fréquentes

10 questions

Most verbs that describe an action or a change of state can be used with ～やすい. However, it is rarely used with verbs that already imply ease or verbs that don't have a clear stem-based process. It works best with transitive verbs where an object is being acted upon.

Yes, it is a neutral grammatical structure. To make it polite, simply add 'desu' at the end (e.g., tabeyasui desu). To make it informal, just use 'tabeyasui'. It is appropriate for all levels of speech.

Kantan is an adjective that means a task is simple or not complex (e.g., a simple math problem). ～やすい describes the physical or functional ease of performing a specific verb (e.g., a pen that is easy to write with).

You can either say ～やすくない (the negative of yasui) or use the opposite suffix ～にくい (nikui). ～にくい is more common when you want to emphasize that something is actually difficult or troublesome to do.

Yes, it often describes a natural tendency or likelihood, especially for things like breaking (koware-yasui), catching a cold (kaze o hiki-yasui), or gaining weight (futori-yasui). This is a very common usage.

Yes, often the object of the verb (marked by 'o') becomes the subject of the adjective (marked by 'wa' or 'ga'). For example, 'Mizu o nomu' (drink water) becomes 'Mizu wa nomiyasui' (Water is easy to drink).

While the adjective 'yasui' (easy) can be written as 易い, the suffix is almost always written in hiragana as ～やすい in modern Japanese to distinguish it from the standalone adjective.

Yes, you can use it to describe someone's personality. 'Hanashi-yasui' means someone is easy to talk to. 'Okori-yasui' means someone is quick to anger. It is a very common way to describe character traits.

Since it is an i-adjective, the past tense is ～やすかった (yasukatta). For example, 'Kono hon wa yomiyasukatta' (This book was easy to read).

Yes. For 'suru' verbs, you use the 'shi' stem. For example, 'benkyou-suru' becomes 'benkyou-shiyasui' (easy to study).