Grammar › Tendency & Manner
きらいがある — “tends to have an unfortunate tendency to…”
A formal, understated way to point out a recurring flaw or bad habit
Dictionary-form verb (or noun + の) + きらいがある points out a recurring, usually mild-to-moderate flaw or bad habit — “tends to unfortunately do X.” It's a formal, somewhat literary way of making a critical observation politely, softer and more indirect than がち.
How to form it
| Pattern | Example |
|---|---|
| Dictionary form + きらいがある | 彼は物事を大げさに言うきらいがある — He has a tendency to exaggerate things |
Example sentences
| Japanese | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| この作家は、話を長引かせるきらいがある。 | このさっかは、はなしをながびかせるきらいがある。 konosakkaha、hanashiwonagabikaserukiraigaaru。 | This author has a tendency to let stories drag on. |
| 彼女は完璧を求めすぎるきらいがある。 | かのじょはかんぺきをもとめすぎるきらいがある。 kanojohakanpekiwomotomesugirukiraigaaru。 | She has a tendency to demand too much perfection. |
| 若い頃は、人の意見を聞かないきらいがあった。 | わかいころは、ひとのいけんをきかないきらいがあった。 wakaikoroha、hitonoikenwokikanaikiraigaatta。 | When I was young, I had a tendency not to listen to other people's opinions. |
🔊 Tap any Japanese sentence to hear it; kanji link to their study pages.
Watch out
きらいがある is a formal, somewhat literary criticism — it reads oddly in casual speech, where がち or っぽい already cover the same ground more naturally.
