Easy to do (-기 쉽다)
-기 쉽다 to verb stems to express that an action is easy to do or likely to occur.
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use -기 쉽다 to express that an action is easy to perform or likely to happen.
- Attach -기 to the verb stem: 먹다 -> 먹기.
- Add 쉽다 (easy) after the -기 form.
- Conjugate 쉽다 based on the desired formality level.
Overview
Ever tried to learn a TikTok dance and realized it’s way harder than it looks? Or maybe you thought ordering coffee in Seoul would be a breeze until the kiosk asked you five questions you didn't understand. Life is full of things that look simple but aren't.
In Korean, when you want to talk about how effortless (or deceptively simple) an action is, you need the -기 쉽다 pattern. It’s the linguistic equivalent of saying "it's a piece of cake." But be careful—it’s not just about skill. It also describes things that are likely to happen, like how your phone screen is 깨지기 쉽다 (easy to break/likely to break) the moment you take off the case.
At its heart, -기 쉽다 is a powerhouse expression used to describe the difficulty or probability of an action. The word 쉽다 容 literally means "to be easy." By attaching -기 to a verb stem, you turn that action into a noun. Then, you simply add 쉽다 to describe it.
Why should you care? Because without this, you're stuck using basic sentences like "Korean is easy." With this, you can say "Korean is easy to learn." It adds depth to your conversations. You can talk about apps that are easy to use, food that is easy to cook, or even people who are easy to talk to.
There’s also a sneaky second meaning. In many contexts, -기 쉽다 indicates that a certain (usually negative) outcome is likely. If you're a clutz like me, you might find that you 넘어지기 쉽다 (are prone to falling) on rainy days.
It’s a very natural way to warn people or make observations about habits. Just don't use it to tell your professor their exam was "easy to fail" unless you’re looking for a very awkward office hour meeting.
How This Grammar Works
-기 is the cement that holds them together.- Verb Stem:
가다(to go) - Noun form:
가기(going) - Final expression:
가기 쉽다(easy to go)
-기 쉽다 is remarkably consistent. It doesn't care about batchim (final consonants).쉽다 is a ㅂ irregular adjective. When you conjugate it for politeness (like 쉬워요), the ㅂ changes to 우. If you forget this, you'll sound like a textbook from 1950. Keep it modern!Formation Pattern
-다 from the dictionary form.
먹다 (to eat) → 먹
공부하다 (to study) → 공부하
잊어버리다 (to forget) → 잊어버리
-기. This turns your action into a thing.
먹 + -기 = 먹기
공부하 + -기 = 공부하기
잊어버리 + -기 = 잊어버리기
쉽다 (or its conjugated forms like 쉬워요, 쉽습니다, or 쉬워).
먹기 쉬워요. (It’s easy to eat.)
공부하기 쉬워요. (It’s easy to study.)
잊어버리기 쉬워요. (It’s easy to forget / likely to forget.)
Conjugation Table
| Form | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| --- | --- | --- |
| Dictionary | 만들기 쉽다 |
Easy to make |
| Informal Polite | 만들기 쉬워요 |
It's easy to make |
| Formal Polite | 만들기 쉽습니다 |
It is easy to make |
| Casual/Banmal | 만들기 쉬워 |
It's easy to make (to friends) |
| Past Tense | 만들기 쉬웠어요 |
It was easy to make |
| Future/Supposition | 만들기 쉬울 거예요 |
It will probably be easy to make |
Politeness Levels
- **Casual (반말)
** 이거 하기 쉬워. Use this with your roommates or friends while gaming. If you use it with your boss, you might find yourself "easy to fire."
- **Informal Polite (해요체)
** 이 앱은 사용하기 쉬워요. This is your bread and butter. Use it on social media, with colleagues, or when talking to strangers.
- **Formal Polite (하십시오체)
** 조작하기 쉽습니다. You'll hear this in tech reviews, YouTube tutorials, or during formal presentations. It sounds professional and crisp.
When To Use It
- Talking about User Experience (UX): We live in a world of apps. You'll constantly use this to describe how a new interface feels.
인스타그램은 사진 올리기 쉬워요(Instagram is easy for uploading photos). - Describing Recipes: Perfect for those "15-minute meal" videos.
라면은 요리하기 쉬운 음식이에요(Ramen is a food that's easy to cook). - Expressing Probability (The "Likely To" Nuance): This is the B1 secret sauce. It’s often used for negative tendencies.
겨울에는 감기에 걸리기 쉬워요(In winter, it’s easy to catch a cold / you're likely to catch a cold). - Social Interactions: Describing people.
그 선생님은 친해지기 쉬워요(That teacher is easy to get close to/easy to befriended). - Learning & Skills: Discussing your language journey.
중국어는 처음에 배우기 쉬워요?(Is Chinese easy to learn at first?)
Common Mistakes
- The Noun Trap: Don't try to attach
-기 쉽다directly to a noun. You can't say한국어기 쉬워요(X). You must use the verb stem:한국어 공부하기 쉬워요(O). - Confusing it with
-ㄹ 수 있다: While both can mean "can do,"-기 쉽다specifically focuses on the ease of the action.-ㄹ 수 있다just means it’s possible. If you say you "can" climb Everest, that doesn't mean it's "easy" to do. - Missing the Negative Nuance: Sometimes learners use
-기 쉽다for positive probabilities where it sounds a bit odd. While not strictly wrong, usually, if something good is likely to happen, we use-ㄹ 것 같다. Use-기 쉽다for tendencies like forgetting things or breaking things. - The Spelling Slip: Remember, it's
쉬워요, not쉬어요.쉬어요means "to rest." You don't want to tell your friend a task is "resting to do" unless you’re trying to be poetic and failing.
Contrast With Similar Patterns
-기 쉽다 vs. -기 편하다편하다 means "comfortable" or "convenient."이 운동화는 신기 쉬워요= These sneakers are easy to put on (maybe they don't have laces).이 운동화는 신기 편해요= These sneakers are comfortable to wear (my feet feel great).
편하다 for physical comfort or logistical convenience.-기 쉽다 vs. -기 좋다좋다 means "good."이 책은 읽기 쉬워요= This book is easy to read (simple vocabulary).이 책은 읽기 좋아요= This book is good for reading (great content, nice font).
-기 쉽다 vs. -기 어렵다어렵다 難 means "difficult."비밀번호를 기억하기 쉬워요.(Easy to remember.)비밀번호를 기억하기 어려워요.(Hard to remember.)
Memory Trick
Think of the "Sheep" (쉽). Sheep are generally seen as "easy-going" and simple animals. When an action is easy, just imagine a Sheep (쉽) doing it. "Eating grass? Easy for a sheep! 먹기 쉽다!"
Quick FAQ
Can I use this with passive verbs?
Yes! In fact, it's very common. 이 핸드폰은 떨어뜨리면 깨지기 쉬워요 (This phone is easy to break if you drop it).
Is it okay to use this in a job interview?
Absolutely. You can use it to describe your strengths. "I am 적응하기 쉬운 (easy to adapt) person."
What's the difference between -기 쉽다 and just saying 쉬워요?
쉬워요 means the subject is easy. -기 쉽다 means the action is easy.
Real Conversations
Conversation 1: At a Café (Ordering via App)
Ji-soo: 요즘은 앱으로 주문하기 정말 쉽네요. (It’s really easy to order via app these days.)
Mark
맞아요. 줄 안 서도 되니까 편해요. (True. It’s convenient because you don't have to wait in line.)Conversation 2: Discussing a Drama
Min-ho: 이 드라마는 한국어 초보자가 이해하기 쉬워요? (Is this drama easy for a Korean beginner to understand?)
Sarah
네, 말도가 빠르지 않아서 듣기 쉬워요. (Yes, they don't speak fast so it's easy to hear/understand.)Progressive Practice
Beginner: Take the verb 가다 and turn it into "Easy to go."
Intermediate: Write a sentence about why your favorite app is easy to use.
Advanced: Use the "likely to" nuance to warn a friend about a common mistake in Korean grammar.
Conjugation of -기 쉽다
| Form | Present | Past | Future |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Formal High
|
하기 쉽습니다
|
하기 쉬웠습니다
|
하기 쉬울 것입니다
|
|
Polite
|
하기 쉬워요
|
하기 쉬웠어요
|
하기 쉬울 거예요
|
|
Casual
|
하기 쉬워
|
하기 쉬웠어
|
하기 쉬울 거야
|
Meanings
This pattern indicates that a specific action is easy to perform or that a situation is prone to occurring.
Ease of action
Expressing that a task is not difficult.
“한국어는 말하기 쉬워요.”
“이 책은 읽기 쉬워요.”
High probability
Expressing that something is likely to happen (prone to).
“여름에는 음식이 상하기 쉬워요.”
“감기에 걸리기 쉬운 날씨예요.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Verb-기 쉽다
|
먹기 쉬워요
|
|
Negative
|
Verb-기 쉽지 않다
|
먹기 쉽지 않아요
|
|
Question
|
Verb-기 쉬워요?
|
먹기 쉬워요?
|
|
Past
|
Verb-기 쉬웠다
|
먹기 쉬웠어요
|
|
Future
|
Verb-기 쉬울 것이다
|
먹기 쉬울 거예요
|
|
Adnominal
|
Verb-기 쉬운 + Noun
|
먹기 쉬운 음식
|
Formality Spectrum
하기 쉽습니다. (General task)
하기 쉬워요. (General task)
하기 쉬워. (General task)
하기 개쉬움. (General task)
The -기 쉽다 Concept
Physical
- 들기 쉽다 easy to lift
Mental
- 이해하기 쉽다 easy to understand
Probability
- 깨지기 쉽다 prone to breaking
Examples by Level
이거는 먹기 쉬워요.
This is easy to eat.
한국어는 배우기 쉬워요.
Korean is easy to learn.
이 책은 읽기 쉬워요.
This book is easy to read.
여기는 찾기 쉬워요.
This place is easy to find.
그거는 하기 쉽지 않아요.
That is not easy to do.
이 앱은 사용하기 쉬워요.
This app is easy to use.
여름에는 음식이 상하기 쉬워요.
Food is easy to spoil in summer.
질문하기 쉬운 분위기예요.
It is an atmosphere where it is easy to ask questions.
감기에 걸리기 쉬운 날씨예요.
It is weather where it is easy to catch a cold.
이런 실수는 하기 쉬워요.
These kinds of mistakes are easy to make.
그 사람은 화내기 쉬워요.
That person is easy to anger.
이 길은 미끄러지기 쉬워요.
This road is easy to slip on.
현대 사회에서는 정보가 유출되기 쉬워요.
In modern society, information is easy to leak.
이 이론은 오해하기 쉬운 부분이 있어요.
This theory has parts that are easy to misunderstand.
변화에 적응하기 쉬운 환경을 만드세요.
Create an environment where it is easy to adapt to change.
이 제품은 고장 나기 쉬운 구조예요.
This product has a structure that is easy to break.
성급한 일반화에 빠지기 쉬운 논리입니다.
This logic is prone to falling into hasty generalizations.
이러한 현상은 관찰하기 쉬운 특징이 있습니다.
This phenomenon has characteristics that are easy to observe.
감정적으로 대응하기 쉬운 상황이네요.
It is a situation where it is easy to react emotionally.
이 정책은 비판받기 쉬운 요소가 많습니다.
This policy has many elements that are easy to criticize.
인간의 본성은 유혹에 굴복하기 쉽다는 점을 간과해서는 안 됩니다.
One must not overlook the fact that human nature is prone to succumbing to temptation.
이 고어는 현대인이 해석하기 쉬운 형태로 다듬어졌습니다.
This archaic language has been refined into a form easy for modern people to interpret.
권력은 부패하기 쉽다는 역사의 교훈을 잊지 마십시오.
Do not forget the historical lesson that power is prone to corruption.
이러한 미묘한 차이는 외국인이 인지하기 쉽지 않은 영역입니다.
These subtle differences are areas that are not easy for foreigners to perceive.
Easily Confused
Learners often mix up 'easy' and 'hard'.
Both imply a positive experience.
Adverb vs Adjective.
Common Mistakes
먹쉽다
먹기 쉽다
먹어요기 쉽다
먹기 쉽다
먹기 쉽어요
먹기 쉬워요
먹기 쉽다요
먹기 쉬워요
먹기 쉽지 않아요
먹기 쉽지 않아요
먹기 쉬운다
먹기 쉽다
먹기 쉽다
먹기 쉬워요
먹기 편해요
먹기 쉬워요
먹기 쉽다
먹기 쉬운
먹기 쉬웠다
먹기 쉬웠어요
먹기 쉬운 것 같아요
먹기 쉬워요
먹기 쉬운 점이 있다
먹기 쉬운 점이 있습니다
먹기 쉬운가요?
먹기 쉬워요?
Sentence Patterns
___하기 쉬워요.
___하기 쉽지 않아요.
___은/는 ___하기 쉬운 ___이에요.
___할 때 ___하기 쉬워요.
Real World Usage
이거 하기 쉬워!
사용하기 쉬운 앱 추천해요.
저는 새로운 환경에 적응하기 쉽습니다.
먹기 쉬운 도시락이에요.
여기는 찾기 쉬워요?
이 현상은 관찰하기 쉽습니다.
The Direct Opposite
Don't Forget the Verb
Level Up Your Vocab
Smart Tips
Use -기 쉽다 to sound natural.
Use -기 쉽다 to warn about tendencies.
Use -기 쉽다 for product feedback.
Use -기 쉽다 for clarity.
Pronunciation
Linking
The '기' and '쉽' are pronounced distinctly.
Rising
하기 쉬워요? ↑
Questioning ease.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of 'G' (기) as 'Go' and 'Easy' (쉽다) as 'Easy'. If you can 'Go' (기) easily (쉽다), you're set!
Visual Association
Imagine a path that is very smooth (easy). You are walking on it effortlessly. The signpost says '기' (Go) and '쉽다' (Easy).
Rhyme
Verb stem plus -기, add 쉽다 to be free, it's easy as can be!
Story
Min-su wanted to learn Korean. He found a book that was '읽기 쉽다' (easy to read). Because it was '읽기 쉽다', he studied every day. Now he is fluent!
Word Web
Challenge
Write 3 sentences about things you find easy to do using -기 쉽다.
Cultural Notes
Using -기 쉽다 to warn about risks is common in professional settings to avoid sounding too direct.
Teachers often use this to encourage students.
Used in reviews for products.
Derived from the verb 쉽다 (to be easy) and the nominalizer -기.
Conversation Starters
한국어 공부는 하기 쉬워요?
여름에 한국 음식은 상하기 쉬워요?
이 앱은 사용하기 쉬운 것 같아요?
사람들이 실수하기 쉬운 상황은 무엇일까요?
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
한국어는 배우___ 쉬워요.
이거는 ___ 쉬워요.
Find and fix the mistake:
이거는 먹쉽다.
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
It is easy to find.
Answer starts with: 찾기 ...
Use '읽다' and '쉽다'.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
A: 이 앱 어때요? B: ___.
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercises한국어는 배우___ 쉬워요.
이거는 ___ 쉬워요.
Find and fix the mistake:
이거는 먹쉽다.
쉬워요 / 한국어는 / 배우기
It is easy to find.
Use '읽다' and '쉽다'.
먹기 쉽다
A: 이 앱 어때요? B: ___.
Score: /8
Practice Bank
10 exercises그의 말을 ____ 쉬워요.
비밀을 잊어버리다기 쉬워요.
이 음식은 만들기 쉬워요.
이 핸드폰은 깨지기 쉬워요.
Choose the correct answer:
그 사람은 ____ 쉬워요.
잊어버리기 쉬워요.
라면은 요리하기 매우 쉬워요.
Choose one:
글씨가 커서 보다기 쉬워요.
Score: /10
FAQ (8)
No, only for verbs.
It can be both formal and informal depending on the ending.
The opposite is -기 어렵다.
Yes, use -기 쉬웠어요.
No, 편하다 is about convenience.
It nominalizes the verb.
Yes, e.g., '그 사람은 화내기 쉬워요'.
Yes, very common.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
easy to [verb]
Korean uses a nominalizer -기.
~やすい
Japanese uses a suffix, Korean uses a separate adjective.
fácil de [verb]
Korean is SOV, Spanish is SVO.
facile à [verb]
Korean uses a particle.
leicht zu [verb]
Korean uses a nominalized verb.
容易 [verb]
Korean puts the ease marker after the verb.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
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