Verb ます-stem + にくいです (Hard to do [Verb])
Core / Expressing Difficulty of Action
👀 Layer A: Visual Guide
📝 Quick Summary
This grammar pattern attaches to the verb stem (Masu-stem) to express that an action is difficult, awkward, or uncomfortable to perform (e.g., hard to read, hard to use, hard to understand).
Structure: [Verb ます-stem] + にくいです
Example 1: この ペンは つかいにくいです (This pen is hard to use).
Example 2: この かんじは かきにくいです (This kanji is hard to write).
🔍 Layer B: Deepening
💡 Raya’s Hack
Functions as an い-adjective!
Once you attach nikui to a verb stem, the entire compound word behaves as a regular い-adjective! You can conjugate it into any standard い-adjective form:
– Polite Present: 使いにくいです (tsukai-nikui desu – is hard to use)
– Past Tense: 使いにくかったです (tsukai-nikukatta desu – was hard to use)
– Modifying Nouns: 使いにくい スマホ (tsukai-nikui sumaho – a hard-to-use smartphone)
– Negative Tense: 使いにくくないです (tsukai-nikukunai desu – is not hard to use)
🚧 Joy’s Mistake
Scene: Joy is complaining about a messy, badly handwritten letter.
Joy: 「この てがみは よみます にくいです。」
(Kono tegami wa yomimasu nikui desu.)
❌ Forgot to drop “masu”!
Why?
Joy left the particle-like masu ending attached to yomimasu. When attaching nikui desu to verbs, you MUST drop masu completely to leave only the raw verb stem (yomi).
Correct: 「この てがみは よみにくいです。」 (This letter is hard to read.)
🔥 Layer C: Retrieval Practice Loop
Retrieve and apply! Express difficulty of action. (Hiragana and English only)
Level 1: Structure Building (Masu-stem + にくいです)
Q1. Hard to use (つかいます ➡️ つかいます)
Q2. Hard to read (よみます ➡️ よみます)
Q3. Hard to write (かきます ➡️ かきます)
Q4. Hard to understand (わかります ➡️ わかります)
Q5. Hard to walk / Hard to walk in (あるきます ➡️ あるきます)
Level 2: Full Sentences
Q6. This pen is hard to use. (この ペン)
Q7. This kanji is hard to write. (この かんじ)
Q8. This food was hard to eat. (この たべもの / Past tense)
Q9. That explanation is hard to understand. (あの せつめい)
Q10. These shoes are hard to walk in. (この くつ)
