薄い

うすい

thin, weak

i-adjective

Conjugation Table

Present

薄い

Negative

薄くない

Past

薄かった

Past Negative

薄くなかった

Te Form

薄くて

Adverbial

薄く

Conditional

薄ければ

Presumptive

薄いでしょう

Example Sentences

この本は薄いです。

This book is thin.

Kono hon wa usui desu.

昨日のスープは薄かったです。

Yesterday's soup was weak.

Kinō no sūpu wa usukatta desu.

コーヒーが薄くないですか？

Isn't the coffee weak?

Kōhī ga usukunai desu ka?

Grammar Notes & Usage Tips

•Basic Conjugation**: As an i-adjective, 薄い (うすい) follows regular i-adjective conjugation rules, so "thin" or "weak" in the negative form is 薄くない (うすくない), and in the past tense, it's 薄かった (うすかった).

•Particle Usage**: When describing something as thin or weak, use the particle が (ga) to highlight the subject, like in この紙は薄いです (このかみはうすいです) meaning "This paper is thin."

•Common Mistake**: Avoid confusing 薄い (うすい) with 低い (ひくい), which means "low"; 薄い describes thickness or intensity, not height or depth.

•Nuance Tips**: 薄い can describe not only physical thinness, like a slice of bread, but also weak flavors or colors, so you might say コーヒーが薄い (コーヒーがうすい) for "The coffee is weak."

•い-adjective: Conjugates by changing the い ending