Grammar Info

N1 Lesson 9: 12/20

(かた)くない

Not hard to, Not difficult to, Easy to, Is obvious that

Structure Legend

Structure

Most common pattern:
想像(そうぞう) + (する)+ (かた)くない

Less common patterns:
予想(よそう) + (する)+ (かた)くない
(さっ)する + (かた)くない
理解(りかい) + (する)+ (かた)くない
推測(すいそく) + (する)+ (かた)くない

Details

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    Formal

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    硬い

About に難くない

にかたくない is a formal grammar pattern that uses a different version of the い-Adjective (むずか)しい 'difficult', (かた)い, which has the same meaning. This adjective will be used in the negative, in order to indicate that something is 'not difficult'. The case-marking particle に at the beginning is limited to following verbs that indicate thinking or conjecture.
  • そう()(しかり)(かた)子供(こども)にいい影響(えいきょう)(あた)えないだろうことは想像(そうぞう)(かた)くない
    It is not hard to imagine that scolding children like that would not have a positive effect on the child.
  • このプロジェクトを中止(ちゅうし)したら(おお)くの(ひと)迷惑(めいわく)がかかることは予想(よそう)(かた)くない
    It is not hard to guess that canceling this project would end up inconveniencing a lot of people.
  • 子供(こども)()くした(おや)たちの気持(きも)ちは理解(りかい)(かた)くない
    It is not difficult to understand the feelings of parents who have lost their children.
This structure will only appear with quite a limited number of verbs, with 想像(そうぞう) 'to imagine', 予想(よそう) 'to predict', (さっ)する 'to infer' or 'to sense', 理解(りかい) 'to understand', and 推測(すいそく) 'to guess' making up the majority of them.
Fun Fact
Many words have alternative forms that will be described as (A) の(あらた)まった表現(ひょうげん) 'the reformed version of (A)' in Japanese dictionaries. Although the standard meaning of the る-Verb (あらた)まる is 'to redo', it can also often be 'to reform' in the sense of making something ceremonious or formal. (A) will usually be the far more common or everyday version of a word, such as with (むずか)しい in the case of this grammar point.

Examples

  • ピラミッドが、古代人(こだいじん)畏敬(いけい)(ねん)(いだ)かせたであろうことは、想像(そうぞう)(かた)くない

    It is not hard to imagine the awe that the pyramids likely inspired in the ancients.

    Phrase + だろう or であろう + (という) + ことは/のは + A + に難くない is a common pattern.

  • 飛行機(ひこうき)墜落(ついらく)すれば乗客(じょうきゃく)(なに)()こるかは(さっ)する(かた)くない

    It is not hard to guess what happens to passengers when an airplane crashes.

    Phrase + か + は + A + に難くない is a common set pattern.

  • その()悲惨(ひさん)出来事(できごと)が、(おお)いに影響(えいきょう)していただろうことは想像(そうぞう)(かた)くない

    It is not hard to imagine that the tragic events of that day likely affected her greatly.

  • 暴力(ぼうりょく)()ちているこのゲームが90年代(ねんだい)論争(ろんそう)()()こした理由(りゆう)理解(りかい)(かた)くない

    It is not hard to understand the reason why this game that is filled with violence caused controversy in the '90s.

  • バス運転手(うんてんしゅ)がいかに(おお)きな責任(せきにん)背負(せお)っているか、想像(そうぞう)(かた)くない

    It is not hard to imagine how much responsibility a bus driver shoulders.

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