Worth it with 〜甲斐がある

Grammar: Appraisal

The noun 甲斐(かい) means “worth” or “effect”. 甲斐(かい)がある may be appended to a noun to say something has value. When attached to a verb, it shows that an action has value, effectiveness, or a worthwhile result, often highlighting a positive outcome after something challenging or time-consuming. In English, it’s similar to “be worth doing” or “it pays off to ~”. There is a nuance that something difficult or unpleasant lead to a positive outcome.

Usage

It commonly appears in situations involving hard work, waiting, or investments of time/effort, like studying, practicing, or enduring difficulties, to assess if the result justifies the action. The negative form 〜甲斐(かい)がない indicates something is “not worth it” or “pointless”.

When attached to a noun, の is used, such as 「noun の甲斐(かい)がある」. A preceeding verb may be in its dictionary form (待(ま)つ), completed form (待(ま)った), or the verb stem (待(ま)ち). Attaching to a verb stem changes from かい to がい. It is also common to see it written in hiragana rather than kanji. The particle 「が」 may be dropped.

Formation

1. Verb (dictionary form) + 甲斐がある
   • 登(のぼ)る甲斐(かい)があると思(おも)う
   • "I think it’s worth climbing."
2. Verb (past tense) + 甲斐がある
   • 協力(きょうりょく)した甲斐(かい)があった
   • "My effort paid off."
3. Verb stem + がい + がある
   • 教(おし)えがいがある
   • "It’s rewarding to teach."
4. Noun + の + 甲斐がある
   • 準備(じゅんび)の甲斐(かい)がある
   • "The preparation was worthwhile."
5. Negative form: Verb (past/dictionary form) + 甲斐がない／甲斐もなく
   • 協力(きょうりょく)の甲斐(かい)もなく、失敗(しっぱい)した
   • "Despite my effort, it failed."

Examples

Worth making a meal with 〜甲斐がある

Rintaro’s mother is overjoyed when her son has friends over for the first time in his life. She prepares a large meal for them to eat.

絢斗(あやと):

「すごく美味(おい)しいです！」

“This is incredibly delicious!”

杏子(きょうこ):

「よく食(た)べるわね！　作(つく)りがいがあるわー」

“You sure do eat a lot! It makes cooking worthwhile!”

Worth selecting a costume with 〜がいある

As a member of the student council, Hitsuji comes up with the idea of having a cosplay theme to help build up excitement among students for the school’s sports day. However, Fujiwara, the student council president, fails to dress up.

Upon hearing him say he doesn’t has a costume prepared, one of the drama club students suggests he pick from their club’s costumes. While Fujiwara isn’t enthusiastic at the prospect of dressing up, Hitsuji is excited by the club’s wide selection.

ヒツジ:

「これだけあると選(えら)びがいあるね！！一番(いちばん)似合(にあ)うの見(み)つけろね！」

“When there are this many, it's worth it to choose from! Let's find the one that suits you best!”

Worth teasing with 〜甲斐がある

Takagi teases Nishikata, causing him to jump up from his chair and get scolded by the teacher. After sitting back down, Nishikata demands to know why Takagi is laughing.

高木(たかぎ):

「西片(にしかた)ってホントからかい甲斐(がい)があるねぇ。」

“Teasing you really is worth it.”

Worth the effort to build a garden with 〜甲斐がある

ARIA The MASTERPIECE » Volume 5 » Page 43