Structure
Verb［ます］+ がたい
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Standard
About がたい
Coming from the same kanji as 難しい 'difficult', 難い is a suffix that also means 'difficult'. However, in the case of がたい, it will be attached to the conjunctive form of verbs, and conveys that '(A) is difficult to do'. がたい is almost always written without kanji in this meaning.
Compared to にくい, which can simply imply that something is 'uncomfortable' to do, がたい refers almost exclusively to 困難であること 'things that involve a high degree of difficulty, distress, or infeasibility'. Due to this, がたい will come across as far stronger than にくい, and may imply that a certain task is almost impossible.
Summed up, these nuances basically translate as the following:
にくい - Something is difficult based on someone's opinion, experience, or general feeling.
がたい - Something is difficult based on the task itself having a high level of difficulty.
Synonyms
Examples
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あの罪は許しがたい。
That crime is unforgivable. (Nearly impossible to forgive)
もう一つのアイデアも捨てがたい。
The other idea is also hard to give up.
あの人の言っていることは信じがたいですね。
It's hard to believe what that person is saying.
忘れがたい出来事に遭遇した。
I encountered an event that is nearly impossible to forget.
皆から近寄りがたいってよく言われます。
I am often told that I am hard to approach.
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The difference between がたい、にくい、and づらい
Japanese Stack Exchange
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Tae Kim's Japanese Grammar Guide
Page 277
[AIAIJ] An Integrated Approach to Intermediate Japanese
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がたい – Grammar Discussion
Most Recent Replies (7 in total)
Johnathan-Weir
These videos might be worth adding:
ggw1776
I usually only do my drills with the english translations, which makes this sentence in particular pretty frustrating
Gabrielkarrer
can bunpro add the 辛い as a separate grammar point. In my practical case, i didnt use and know about it at all and accidentally come on it on a (all n4 grammar youtube video) to polish my grammar skill. If you know the nuance, its pretty useful.
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