Breakdown of sensei no iikata ha wakariyasui desu.
はha
topic particle
ですdesu
to be
先生sensei
teacher
のno
possessive case particle
〜やすい〜yasui
to be easy to
分かるwakaru
to understand
言い方iikata
way of speaking
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Questions & Answers about sensei no iikata ha wakariyasui desu.
What does the particle の do in 先生の言い方?
It links two nouns in a possessive/attributive way. 先生の言い方 means “the teacher’s way of saying/phrasing,” where 先生 modifies 言い方 via の.
What exactly does 言い方 mean, and how is it formed?
言い方 (いいかた) = 言う (to say) + 方 (かた, “way/manner”). It literally means “way of saying,” i.e., phrasing or word choice.
Why can’t I say 言う方 for “way of saying”?
“Way of doing X” is formed with the verb’s ます-stem + 方. So it must be 言い方, not 言う方. Note that 言う方 often means “the person who says (it)” (because 方 can also mean “person” politely), which is a different meaning.
Why is は pronounced “wa” in this sentence?
When は is the topic particle, it’s pronounced “wa” (historical spelling). So 言い方は is read いいかた“わ”.
What does the topic particle は do here?
It marks 先生の言い方 as the topic—the thing you’re talking about. The comment about that topic is 分かりやすいです (“is easy to understand/clear”).
Could I use が instead of は (as in 先生の言い方が分かりやすいです)?
You can, but the nuance changes:
- は: sets “the teacher’s way of saying” as the general topic (neutral statement).
- が: focuses on or identifies it as the thing that is easy to understand (e.g., in contrast to others or as an answer to “What is easy to understand?”).
What does 分かりやすい mean, and how is it built?
It means “easy to understand,” formed as verb stem 分かり (from 分かる) + the suffix やすい (“easy to do”). This suffix attaches to verb stems: 読みやすい (easy to read), 聞きやすい (easy to hear), etc.
What’s the difference between 言い方 and 話し方?
- 言い方: phrasing/word choice; how something is put into words.
- 話し方: manner of speaking (tone, speed, intonation, style). So “The teacher’s way of phrasing things is clear” = 先生の言い方は分かりやすいです. If you mean speaking style, use 話し方.
Is there a more polite or natural alternative in some contexts?
Yes, depending on emphasis:
- 先生の説明は分かりやすいです (The teacher’s explanations are clear.)
- 先生のお話は分かりやすいです (The teacher’s talk/speaking is clear; honorific nuance with お話) These often sound smoother when you mean overall explanation rather than just phrasing.
How do I say “hard to understand” or “not easy to understand”?
- “Hard to understand”: 分かりにくい or 分かりづらい (both common; にくい is a bit more neutral).
- “Not easy to understand”: 分かりやすくない. Examples: 先生の言い方は分かりにくいです / 分かりやすくないです.
How do I make it past tense or adjust the degree?
- Past: 分かりやすかったです (was easy to understand).
- Negative: 分かりやすくないです; past negative: 分かりやすくなかったです.
- Degree: とても分かりやすいです, かなり分かりやすいです, すごく分かりやすいです.
Is writing 分かりやすい with kanji normal? I often see わかりやすい.
Both are fine. Many writers use kana (わかりやすい) for readability. Using 分 in 分かりやすい is also common; style varies by context and publisher.
Why is 方 read かた here and not ほう?
When 方 means “way/manner/method,” it’s read かた (e.g., 使い方, 書き方, 言い方). When it means “side/direction/comparison” (e.g., Aの方が), it’s read ほう.
Do Japanese normally put spaces between words like in this sentence?
No. Standard Japanese writing doesn’t use spaces between words. Spaces here are for learner clarity. Normally you’d write: 先生の言い方は分かりやすいです。
Does 先生 mean “the teacher” or “a teacher”? And can I say 先生さん?
Japanese has no articles, so 先生 can mean “the teacher” or “a teacher,” depending on context. If you need to be specific, say 私の先生 (my teacher) or 英語の先生 (the English teacher). Do not say 先生さん; 先生 itself is already an honorific title.
Can I express the same idea with a verb instead of 言い方は?
Yes. You can modify how the teacher speaks:
- 先生は分かりやすく説明します。
- 先生は分かりやすく言います。 These focus on the action (explain/say) being done clearly, rather than the “way of saying” as a noun.