JLPT N2
がち
Tend to / Prone to (negative)
Structure
Verb stem/Noun がち
How it works
This grammar point indicates a tendency to do something or a frequent occurrence of a state, usually with negative connotations. It is used when someone frequently behaves in a undesirable way or when a bad situation happens often. It attaches directly to the stem of a verb or to a noun.
Examples
一人暮らしの食事は、栄養が偏りがちだ。
When living alone, one's diet tends to become nutritionally unbalanced.
最近、彼は体調を崩して仕事を休みがちだ。
Lately, he has been in poor health and tends to be absent from work.
初心者は、基礎を疎かにしがちである。
Beginners are prone to neglecting the basics.
Common mistakes
Mixing up 'がち' with 'っぽい' or 'やすい'. Use 'がち' specifically for negative frequencies (like forgetting or being late), whereas 'やすい' is for objective ease of an action/event.
Tip
Think of 'がち' as 'often accidentally' or 'bad habit.' Common pairings include 忘れがち (prone to forgetting), 遅れがち (often late), and 遠慮しがち (tending to hold back).
More JLPT N2 grammar
See がち in real Japanese
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