JLPT N4: ～やすい (easy to VERB)

Nice, simple lesson today.

When you add ～やすい to the ます-stem of a VERB, it means "easy to VERB."

このカクテルは甘くて飲みやすいです。
この　カクテル　は　あまくて　のみやすい　です。
This cocktail is sweet and easy to drink.
Literally: “this + cocktail + は + sweet (and) + easy to drink / drink easily + です.”

飲む（のむ // to drink）
↓
飲みます（のみます // drink）
↓
飲みやすい（のみやすい // easy to drink）

---

Is this the same やすい that means "cheap" or "inexpensive?

No, it is not. You're unlikely to see the kanji version of this i-adjective, but technically it's

易い (やすい // easy)

...not to be confused with the common standalone i-adjective that does use kanji:

安い (やすい // cheap; inexpensive)

For example, if you're at a restaurant looking at the menu with a friend, and you notice the prices are cheap, you can say:

安いね。
やすい　ね。
It’s cheap, huh?
Literally: “cheap + ね?”

---

Once more, here is the formation pattern:

V ます ＋ やすい
easy to VERB

---

And here is another example:

TPPの意味をわかりやすく教えてください。
ティーピーピー　の　いみ　を　わかりやすく　おしえて　ください。
Could you please explain TPP to me in a way that is easy to understand?
Literally: “TPP + の + meaning + を + easy to understand / understand easily + teach (and) + please.”

---

And another:

軽くて持ち運びやすいノートパソコンが欲しいです。
かるくて　もちはこびやすい　ノートパソコン　が　ほしい　です。
I want a laptop that’s light and easy to carry around.
Literally: “light (and) + easy to carry / carry easily + laptop (=notebook PC) + が + wanted + です.”

---

In all of the examples so far, the VERB in "easy to VERB" has been a good thing.

But you can also use ～やすい to say that unwanted things are "easy to VERB."

Here's an example using the verb さびる, which means "to rust":

鉄の包丁はさびやすいから手入れが面倒です。
てつ　の　ほうちょう　は　さびやすい　から　ていれ　が　めんどう　です。
Iron knives rust easily, so taking care of them is a pain.
Literally: “iron + の + kitchen knife + は + easy to rust / rust easily + because + maintenance / tending to + が + a pain / a hassle + です.”

---

Finished!

I think that you'll find this grammar pattern to be 使いやすい (つかいやすい // easy to use) once you practice it a bit.

And it's useful, too!

In the next N4 lesson, we'll look at its counterpart, ～にくい.

---

---

Noticed any typos we've missed or other issues?
Report them here at this link.

Have questions about something in this lesson? Something not quite clicking yet? Join our discord community and discuss any questions / comments with us and fellow students.
You can join by heading to this link.