Vます + づらい — Hard or unpleasant to do | JLPT N4 grammar

Meaning

Shows that an action is difficult because of a psychological, social, or physical reason.

Formation

Drop ます and add づらい: 話します → 話しづらい
づらい stresses difficulty the person feels (discomfort, pain, awkwardness); it overlaps with にくい, which more often describes an objective feature: 字が小さくて読みづらい / 読みにくい

When to use it

Core use: Hard or unpleasant to do

Examples

20 sentences

このことは先生せんせいに話しはなしづらいです
It is hard for me to talk about this with the teacher.
字じが小さくちいさくて読みよみづらいです
The writing is small and hard to read.
忙しいいそがしい友だちともだちには頼みたのみづらいです
It is hard to ask a busy friend for a favor.
この靴くつは足あしが痛くいたくて歩きあるきづらいです
These shoes hurt my feet and are hard to walk in.
古いふるい友だちともだちにはさよならを言いいいづらかったです
It was hard to say goodbye to an old friend.
この失敗しっぱいは家族かぞくに伝えつたえづらいです
It is hard to tell my family about this failure.
この長いながい名前なまえは発音はつおんしづらいです
This long name is hard to pronounce.
満員まんいん電車でんしゃでは大きなおおきな荷物にもつを持ちもちづらいです
It is hard to carry large luggage on a crowded train.

12 more examples

先生せんせいの前まえでは間違いまちがいを認めみとめづらいです
It is hard to admit a mistake in front of the teacher.
こんな静かしずかな部屋へやでは電話でんわしづらいです
It feels awkward to make a phone call in such a quiet room.
この鉛筆えんぴつは書きかきづらいです
It is awkward to write with this pencil.
恥ずかしくてはずかしくて先生せんせいに質問ししつもんしづらいです
I feel embarrassed, so it is hard for me to ask the teacher questions.
足あしをけがして階段かいだんを上りのぼりづらいです
I hurt my leg, so it is hard for me to climb the stairs.
歯はが痛くていたくて食べたべづらいです
My tooth hurts, so it is hard for me to eat.
この名前なまえは覚えおぼえづらいです
This name is hard to remember.
眼鏡めがねを忘れたわすれたので黒板こくばんの字じが見みづらいです
I forgot my glasses, so it is hard for me to see the writing on the blackboard.
この椅子いすは座りすわりづらいです
It is awkward to sit on this chair.
このコップは飲みのみづらいです
It is awkward to drink from this glass.
人ひとが多いおおい所ところでは電話でんわに出でづらいです
It feels awkward to answer the phone where there are a lot of people.
荷物にもつをたくさん持っもっているのでドアが開けあけづらいです
I am carrying a lot of things, so it is hard for me to open the door.

Important notes

づらい often describes difficulty felt by the doer, including discomfort or reluctance.

Common mistakes

The suffix is づらい: 言いづらい, not 言いずらい in standard spelling.

Check yourself

Pick the translation of each sentence. The wrong options translate similar patterns, so watch the grammar rather than the words.

Sentence 1: 先生せんせいの前まえでは間違いまちがいを認めみとめづらいです It is hard to admit a mistake in front of the teacher.This room is too quiet and feels a little scary.There is only milk in the refrigerator.
Sentence 2: この名前なまえは覚えおぼえづらいです This name is hard to remember.This bag is too expensive.You can only use cash at this shop.
Sentence 3: 荷物にもつをたくさん持っもっているのでドアが開けあけづらいです I am carrying a lot of things, so it is hard for me to open the door.I only have one thousand yen with me now.The luggage is too heavy.

Similar grammar

Hear it in podcasts

The pattern appears in these episodes. They open in the app with the transcript and translation.

かぜの一週間N4 · 2 min 57 s