日本語道場

Nihongo Dojo — N3 → N2

Grammar

N2

～きらいがある

~kirai ga aru

tends to have the undesirable tendency

When to use it

Use ～きらいがある in formal writing or measured speech to point out an undesirable habitual tendency in a person, group, or organization — the sort of criticism you soften in a report, review, or analysis. It is an observation about a recurring inclination, not a one-off event, and it always carries a negative evaluation. Common in written business Japanese (社内報告書, 提案書, 論説); in casual speech ～がちだ or ～やすい is far more natural.

Formation

  • Verb: dictionary form + きらいがある (例：考えるきらいがある). Negative: ない form + きらいがある (例：報告しないきらいがある)
  • Noun: noun + の + きらいがある (例：独断専行のきらいがある)
  • な-adjective / い-adjective: essentially not used; rephrase with a verb or noun (× 遅いきらいがある → ○ 遅れるきらいがある)
  • Often intensified with ややもすれば・とかく・どうも and modified by 少し／やや／～すぎる
  • Also appears as 〜きらいがあった／きらいがあり、／きらいがあるようだ in reports

Examples

  • His analysis tends to jump to conclusions.

  • Our company has a tendency to put too much weight on precedent.

  • Junior staff tend to put off delivering bad news.

  • That director has a bit of a tendency to act on his own judgment.

  • At the negotiating table, they tended not to make concessions.