苦手
nigate
In Japanese, 'bad at' is expressed as 苦手 (nigate).
苦手 is used to describe a lack of skill or a strong dislike for a particular activity. It is often used as a euphemism to express that you dislike something by implying that you are not good at it.
Which one should you use?
While 苦手 implies a lack of skill or a psychological dislike and discomfort, the word 下手 focuses more strictly on a lack of technical ability or proficiency.
How does it change in a sentence?
To mark the specific activity or subject that one is bad at, the particle が is typically used, forming the pattern が苦手. When you want to modify a noun directly, such as describing a person, 苦手 becomes 苦手な. For example, to describe a person who is bad at something, you use the attributive form 苦手な followed by 人, resulting in 苦手な人.
How do you pronounce it?
nigate
Did you know?
- The word 苦手 can be used to describe a person you find difficult to deal with or someone who makes you feel uncomfortable, shifting the meaning from a skill to a social atmosphere.
- In Japanese social dynamics, admitting you are 苦手 at something can be a form of 'kenjou' or modesty, used to lower one's status to make others feel more comfortable.
- If you say you are 苦手 with vegetables, you are actually telling your host you find them unpleasant to eat, not that you lack the skill to chew them.
Examples in context
- 数学は苦手です。I'm bad at maths.This sentence uses 苦手 to show a lack of skill in maths.Tatoeba #10561186 by small_snow, translation #10683534 by sundown
- 英語は苦手でした。I was bad at English.This sentence uses 苦手 to describe a past lack of skill in English.Tatoeba #12047428 by small_snow, translation #4903070 by warrenbisch
- 僕は水泳が苦手です。I'm bad at swimming.This sentence uses 苦手 to express being bad at swimming.Tatoeba #81837 by tommy_san, translation #1904590 by Chrikaru
- 私は料理が下手です。I am bad at cooking.
- 私はスポーツに関して力不足です。I lack the necessary skills in sports.
- あの人はお世辞にも上手ではないですね。That person is really bad at it, to put it mildly.
- 19 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing their hobbies at a cafe.
- 大翔 Hiroto料理は得意ですか？Ryori wa tokui desu ka?Are you good at cooking?
- 結衣 Yuiいいえ、料理は苦手です。Iie, ryori wa nigate desu.No, I'm bad at cooking.
- 大翔 Hirotoそうなんですね。僕は料理が大好きです。Sou nan desu ne. Boku wa ryori ga daisuki desu.I see. I love cooking.
- 結衣 Yui大翔さんはすごいですね。Hiroto-san wa sugoi desu ne.You are amazing, Hiroto.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
