Grammar Info

N3 Lesson 10: 1/20

がたいHard to, Difficult to

Structure

Verb［stem］+ がたい

Details

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About がたい

Coming from the same kanji as 難(むずか)しい 'difficult', 難(がた)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(こんなん)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.

Related

Examples

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    あの罪(つみ)は許(ゆる)しがたい。

    That crime is unforgivable. (Nearly impossible to forgive)

    もう一(ひと)つのアイデアも捨(す)てがたい。

    The other idea is also hard to give up.

    あの人(ひと)の言(い)っていることは信(しん)じがたいですね。

    It's hard to believe what that person is saying.

    忘(わす)れがたい出来事(できごと)に遭遇(そうぐう)した。

    I encountered an event that is nearly impossible to forget.

    皆(みんな)から近寄(ちかよ)りがたいってよく言(い)われます。

    I am often told that I am hard to approach.

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がたい – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (7 in total)

  • Johnathan-Weir

    Johnathan-Weir

    These videos might be worth adding:

  • ggw1776

    ggw1776

    I usually only do my drills with the english translations, which makes this sentence in particular pretty frustrating

  • Gabrielkarrer

    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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