Quiz:

How would you express “It’s difficult to sleep because it’s noisy outside“? There are several ways to say “difficult to sleep” in Japanese, depending on the nuance. The answer is at the bottom of this page.

Meanings of 辛(つらい) , 難(むずかしい / にくい / がたい) and 苦(くるしい)

Let’s break down the meanings of 辛(つらい) and 難(むずかしい / にくい / がたい) and 苦(くるしい) early on to help you understand the grammar :

  • 辛い(つらい): This kanji denotes discomfort or pain and is often used to describe situations that are emotionally or psychologically difficult, or socially awkward.
  • 難しい(むずかしい) ・ 〜難い(〜にくい/〜がたい): This kanji indicates difficulty and is used to describe situations that are generally hard to perform due to practical or physical reasons.
  • 苦しい (くるしい): This kanji represents physical or emotional suffering, often involving a sense of being overwhelmed or oppressed. It can describe physical discomfort, such as pain or difficulty breathing, or emotional stress and hardship. It conveys a deeper sense of struggle compared to “辛い(つらい),” which is more commonly associated with emotional pain. “苦しい” can also imply a broader range of suffering, such as enduring a difficult situation, physical pain, or severe emotional distress.

Understanding these kanji helps you remember which is which when dealing with 〜しづらい, 〜しにくい and 〜ぐるしい.

About the Kanji 難 : The kanji “難しい” is usually read as “むずかしい.” It is only read as “にくい” when used in the verb conjugation “〜にくい.” Therefore, “難しい本 (むずかしいほん)” is never read as “にくいほん.” If a native speaker hears “にくいほん,” they will think of the another adjective 憎い(にくい), meaning “odious book,” and won’t understand. Additionally, “難い” can also be read as “がたい,” which has a similar meaning and usage to “にくい,” but it is quite formal and not used often, so it will be introduced at the end of this page.

〜づらい

Conjugation rule: ますform stem + づらい

  • Meaning: This form indicates that something is “hard to do” or “difficult to do” due to external factors or conditions that make the action awkward or uncomfortable.
  • Usage: Often used when the difficulty arises from emotional or psychological reasons, or social situations that make the action feel uncomfortable.
  • Nuance: Carries a connotation of “uncomfortableness” or “awkwardness” that makes the action difficult.

e.g.

  1. この部屋は暗くて、本が読みづらい。(このへやはくらくて、ほんがよみづらい。) — This room is dark, making it hard to read books.
  2. 彼の前でその話をしづらい。(かれのまえでそのはなしをしづらい。) — It is hard to talk about that in front of him.
  3. 静かな場所では大声で話しづらい。(しずかなばしょではおおごえではなしづらい。) — It’s hard to talk loudly in a quiet place.
  4. 恥ずかしくて、自分の気持ちを言いづらい。(はずかしくて、じぶんのきもちをいいづらい。) — It’s hard to express my feelings because I feel embarrassed.
  5. 会社を辞めたことを妻に話しづらい。(かいしゃをやめたことをつまにはなしづらい。) — It’s hard to tell my wife that I quit my job.
  6. この靴は小さくて歩きづらい。(このくつはちいさくてあるきづらい。) — These shoes are small, making it hard to walk.

〜にくい

Conjugation rule: ますform stem + にくい

  • Meaning: This form also means “hard to do” or “difficult to do” but is more general and can be used for a wider range of difficulties, including physical, practical, or external conditions.
  • Usage: Commonly used when the difficulty is due to practical or physical reasons.
  • Nuance: More straightforwardly indicates difficulty without the emotional or social connotations of 〜づらい.

e.g.

  1. この本は漢字が多くて読みにくい。(このほんはかんじがおおくてよみにくい。) — This book is hard to read because it has many kanji.
  2. 道が狭くて車を運転しにくい。(みちがせまくてくるまをうんてんしにくい。) — It’s hard to drive because the road is narrow.
  3. この箱は重くて大きいし持ち手が無いから運びにくい。(このはこはおもくておおきいしもちてがないからはこびにくい。) — This box is heavy and big, and it has no handles, so it’s hard to carry.
  4. この問題は複雑で解きにくい。(このもんだいはふくざつでときにくい。) — This problem is hard to solve because it’s complicated.
  5. 彼の字は小さくて読みにくい。(かれのじはちいさくてよみにくい。) — His handwriting is small, making it hard to read.
  6. このグラスは滑りやすくて持ちにくい。(このぐらすはすべりやすくてもちにくい。) — This glass is slippery, making it hard to hold.

FYI : When using ChatGPT, I sometimes notice that the conjugation for the grammar of 〜にくい is incorrect. The conjugation rule for 〜にくい is “ます-form stem + にくい,” so please be careful not to be misled by incorrect information.

Cases Where Both 〜づらい and 〜にくい Can Be Used

There are cases where both 〜づらい and 〜にくい can be used, though the nuance changes slightly. Generally, しにくい is more versatile and can replace 〜づらい in many contexts, but the reverse is not always true.

e.g.

  • 人に見られていると 食べづらい/食べにくい。(ひとにみられていると たべづらい/たべにくい。) — It’s hard to eat when being watched.

Explanation: 〜づらい emphasizes the discomfort or self-consciousness of being watched, while 〜にくい emphasizes the general difficulty of eating in such a situation.


  • 忙しそうだから彼には 頼みづらい/頼みにくい。(いそがしそうだからかれには たのみづらい/たのみ にくい。) — It’s hard to ask him for a favor because he looks busy.

Explanation: 〜づらい emphasizes the awkwardness or reluctance due to his busy appearance, while 〜にくい indicates the general difficulty of asking him for a favor.

other examples :

  1. 仕事が多くて休みを 取りづらい/取りにくい。(しごとがおおくてやすみを とりづらい/とりにくい。) — It’s hard to take a day-off because there’s so much work.
  2. この靴は新しくて はきづらい/はきにくい。(このくつはあたらしくて はきづらい/はきにくい。) — These shoes are new, making them hard to wear.
  3. 雨が降っていて 運転しづらい/運転しにくい。(あめがふっていて うんてんしづらい/うんてんしにくい。) — It’s hard to drive because it’s raining.
  4. その質問には 答えづらい/答えにくい。(そのしつもんには こたえづらい/こたえにくい。) — It’s hard to answer that question.
  5. このコートは重くて 動きづらい/動きにくい。(このこーとはおもくて うごきづらい/うごきにくい。) — This coat is heavy, making it hard to move.
  6. その資料は 見づらい/見にくい。(そのしりょうは みづらい/みにくい。) — That document is hard to see.

〜ぐるしい

Conjugation rule: ますform stem + ぐるしい / noun + ぐるしい

  • Meaning: The form “〜ぐるしい” means “uncomfortable” or “painful,” and it is used to describe situations that cause physical discomfort or emotional suffering. It often implies a feeling of being oppressed, strained, or in distress, whether due to external factors (like heat, noise, or tight spaces) or internal conditions (like guilt or anxiety).
  • Usage: “〜ぐるしい” is used to express situations where something is hard to endure or uncomfortable. It can describe both physical sensations (like being hot or cramped) and emotional states (like feeling guilty or distressed).
  • Nuance: The nuance of “〜ぐるしい” is more intense than “〜にくい” or “〜づらい,” as it often conveys a sense of ongoing or acute discomfort. It implies that the situation is not just difficult but also causes significant stress or strain, making it particularly challenging to bear.

e.g.

息苦しい (いきぐるしい) noun + ぐるしい

  • この部屋は空気が悪くて息苦しい。(このへやはくうきがわるくていきぐるしい。) — “This room is stuffy, and it’s hard to breathe.”

寝苦しい (ねぐるしい) ますform stem + ぐるしい

  • 昨夜は暑くて寝苦しかった。(さくやはあつくてねぐるしかった。) — “Last night was hot, and I couldn’t sleep comfortably.”

見苦しい (みぐるしい) ますform stem + ぐるしい

  • 彼の態度は見苦しかった。(かれのたいどはみぐるしかった。) — “His behavior was disgraceful.”

心苦しい (こころぐるしい) noun + ぐるしい

  • 彼に嘘をつくのは心苦しい。(かれにうそをつくのはこころぐるしい。) — “I feel guilty about lying to him.”

Note: “〜ぐるしい” is used in situations that involve significant discomfort, pain, or distress. Because of this intensity, only certain verbs or nouns naturally pair with this level of discomfort. As a result, these four examples (息苦しい、寝苦しい、見苦しい、心苦しい) are pretty much the only ones commonly used in daily conversation. So, “〜ぐるしい” has more limited usage compared to the more flexible “〜づらい” and “〜にくい.”

〜がたい

conjugation rule: ますform stem + がたい

  • Meaning: 〜がたい means “hard to do” or “difficult to do” and is used to express a high degree of difficulty or impossibility, often due to emotional, moral, or intellectual reasons.
  • Nuance: It carries a stronger sense of difficulty compared to 〜にくい and 〜づらい, often implying that the action is almost impossible to perform. It is often used in formal language such as written language, news, and business.

e.g.

  1. この結果は信じがたい。(このけっかはしんじがたい。) — This result is hard to believe.
  2. 彼の行動は理解しがたい。(かれのこうどうはりかいしがたい。) — His actions are hard to understand.
  3. この問題は解決しがたい。(このもんだいはかいけつしがたい。) — This problem is difficult to solve.
  4. その話は受け入れがたい。(そのはなしはうけいれがたい。) — That story is hard to accept.



Answer:

外がうるさくて、寝にくい。or 寝づらい。(そとがうるさくて、ねにくい。or ねづらい。)

— “It’s difficult to sleep because it’s noisy outside.”

Explanation:

Both 寝にくい and 寝づらい can be used to express that it’s difficult to sleep due to the noise outside.

  • 寝にくい (ねにくい) is a more general term that can be used for any kind of difficulty, including practical or physical reasons. It’s straightforward and can apply to various situations, such as noise, an uncomfortable bed, or bright light.
  • 寝づらい (ねづらい) is often used when the difficulty is more related to psychological or social discomfort. In this case, it emphasizes the awkwardness or discomfort caused by the noisy environment, making it hard to fall asleep.

However, 寝苦しい (ねぐるしい) is not appropriate here. 寝苦しい is typically used to describe situations where there is physical discomfort while trying to sleep, such as being too hot, having difficulty breathing, or feeling restless. It implies that sleep is not just difficult but also uncomfortable or oppressive in a more intense way. Therefore, “寝苦しい” doesn’t fit the context of noise making it hard to sleep.