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How to Say ‘Hard to hear’ in Japanese

聞き取りづらい

kikitori zurai

[kee-kee-TOH-ree zoo-RAH-ee]

💬 Usage Tip: Put づらい on the stem of an action word and it means the action is hard to do. 聞き取る "catch (by ear)" becomes 聞き取りづらい, and 読む becomes 読みづらい "hard to read".

Phrase Breakdown

聞き取り

kikitori

[kee-kee-TOH-ree]

hearing; catching (what is said)

Stem of 聞き取る, to catch or make out sounds or words.

Example

英語の聞き取りが苦手です。

I'm bad at English listening.

づらい

zurai

[zoo-RAH-ee]

hard to; difficult to

Suffix added to a verb stem meaning the action is hard or uncomfortable to do.

Example

この字は読みづらい。

This writing is hard to read.

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