- JLPT N4
~やすい
NikoJLPT 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.
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?
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?
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.
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.
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.
Niko
