modality N2 uncommon writtenpolite
〜甲斐がある — it's worth the effort to ~
〜甲斐がある ・ かいがある
Meaning
- it's worth the effort to ~ / ~ pays off — the trouble taken produces a result that justifies it
Key sentence
毎日練習した甲斐があって、優勝できた。
All the daily practice paid off — I won.
Formation
| Attaches to | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb (た or dictionary form) or Noun + の | V-た／V-る／Nの + 甲斐がある | 努力した甲斐 / 生きる甲斐 / 苦労の甲斐 |
When: Most often past — 〜た甲斐があった 'it was worth ~ing' — looking back on effort that produced a worthwhile result.
Examples
苦労して育てた甲斐があった。
Raising them through all that hardship was worth it.
早起きした甲斐があって、いい席が取れた。
Getting up early paid off — I got a good seat.
Easily confused with
Notes
- The negative is 甲斐もなく '(despite the effort) in vain' (see 〜甲斐もなく) — the effort did NOT pay off.
See 〜甲斐がある in real sentences
Jengo shows 〜甲斐がある the way you actually meet it: inside real Japanese sentences, so it sticks instead of staying an abstract rule.
Study it in JengoSources Compiled from published Japanese grammar references.