づらい: hard to do; emotionally difficult

づらい means hard to do; emotionally difficult. It is a JLPT N4 Japanese grammar pattern used to express this idea in natural Japanese.

This English meaning is chosen independently from the source-list gloss so it stays natural, concise, and useful for learners searching for づらい.

What does づらい mean?

Use づらい when you want to express hard to do; emotionally difficult in a Japanese sentence.

Natural translations include:

• hard to do; emotionally difficult
• hard to do
• emotionally difficult

How to form づらい

Verb masu-stem + づらい

Examples of the pattern:

• Verb masu-stem + づらい
• づらい
• related form: にくい

When is づらい used?

Use づらい in situations like:

• reading or writing JLPT N4-level sentences
• making a sentence more precise than a basic N5 pattern
• recognizing natural grammar in conversation, signs, or short passages

Tone and register:

• usually neutral unless the pattern itself is casual, formal, or written
• common in JLPT N4 grammar study and everyday Japanese

づらい example sentences

• この話は言いづらいです。 — This is hard to say.
• 彼の字は読みづらいです。 — His handwriting is hard to read.
• この靴は歩きづらいです。 — These shoes are hard to walk in.
• 先生には相談しづらいです。 — It is hard to talk to the teacher about it.
• この椅子は座りづらいです。 — This chair is uncomfortable to sit in.

Nuance of づらい

The key nuance is hard to do; emotionally difficult in context, not a word-for-word English replacement.

This matters because づらい can express ability, comparison, intention, appearance, effort, or difficulty depending on the surrounding sentence. Read the whole sentence before choosing the English translation.

づらい vs にくい

Both patterns can appear in related sentences, but they do different jobs.

づらい:

• is the target JLPT N4 pattern in this lesson
• focuses on hard to do; emotionally difficult

にくい:

• is useful for comparison because learners often confuse nearby forms
• may change the tone, direction, evidence, or sentence focus

Quick contrast examples:

• Target pattern: この話は言いづらいです。 — This is hard to say.
• Related pattern with にくい: compare what changes in difficulty, comparison, intention, appearance, or certainty.

Common mistakes with づらい

Watch out for these mistakes:

• Copying a dictionary gloss without checking the sentence context
• Using the wrong verb, adjective, or noun form
• Confusing づらい with にくい because the English can sound similar

Is づらい on the JLPT?

Yes. づらい is connected to JLPT N4 grammar in this blog.

That means learners should be able to:

• recognize it in reading
• understand its nuance in context
• use it in simple original sentences

Practice questions for づらい

Try making your own sentences with these prompts:

• Write one short sentence using the basic structure.
• Replace the subject, time, or object and keep the same grammar point.
• Compare your sentence with the related pattern above.

Learn づらい with Kanjiru

If you want to review づらい together with kanji, vocabulary, and other JLPT N4 patterns, Kanjiru helps you practice Japanese in short, focused sessions.

Browse more lessons here:

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