Meaning & Usage
✨ Basic Meaning
Approximately, about, roughly, to the extent of, such that.
🎯 Primary Function
To indicate the degree, extent, quantity, or rough estimation of a noun or action.
📋 Grammar Structure
Plain Form (Vる / Vた / Vない) + くらい / ぐらい
い-Adj (Plain) + くらい / ぐらい
な-Adj (Plain) + な + くらい / ぐらい (or Noun + くらい)
Plain Negative Form + くらい / ぐらい
🎭 Usage Contexts
Formal Situations
Used but often replaced by more formal expressions like 「程度 (teido)」 or 「およそ (oyoso)」 in highly formal written documents.
Informal Situations
Extremely common in everyday casual conversation. ぐらい is often preferred in quick speech.
Written Language
Common in essays and general non-fiction, but less frequent in highly academic or legal writing.
Spoken Language
Very frequent. Essential for giving approximations of time, distance, and quantity.
💡 Common Applications
Expressing Approximation (Quantity, Time, Distance)
Used most commonly after nouns (especially measurements) to indicate a rough estimation.
Example: 一週間ぐらいかかる (Isshuukan gurai kakaru – It takes about a week)
Indicating Degree or Extent
Used after a verb or adjective phrase to express the extreme degree or extent of a feeling, action, or state.
Example: 涙が出るくらい感動した (Namida ga deru kurai kandou shita – I was moved to the point of tears)
Setting a Minimum Standard or Example
Used to emphasize a minimal expectation, suggesting that even a small amount or simple action is necessary or expected.
Example: 挨拶くらいはしなさい (Aisatsu kurai wa shinasai – At least say hello)
Frequency
High
Difficulty
N3 (Core concept is N4, but nuanced usage is N3)
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Example Sentences
Example #1
駅から学校まで三十分ぐらいかかります。
Furigana: えき から がっこう まで さんじゅっぷん ぐらい かかります。
Romaji: Eki kara gakkou made sanjuppun gurai kakarimasu.
English: It takes about thirty minutes to get from the station to the school.
Example #2
台風の被害は屋根が吹き飛ぶくらいひどかった。
Furigana: たいふう の ひがい は やね が ふきとぶ くらい ひどかった。
Romaji: Taifuu no higai wa yane ga fukitobu kurai hidokatta.
English: The damage from the typhoon was so severe that the roof was blown away.
Example #3
これくらいなら、私に任せなさい。
Furigana: これ くらい なら、わたし に まかせ なさい。
Romaji: Kore kurai nara, watashi ni makasenasai.
English: I can manage this much, so don’t worry.
Example #4
泣きそうになるぐらい心配したけど、結果は大丈夫だった。
Furigana: なきそう に なる ぐらい しんぱい した けど、けっか は だいじょうぶ だった。
Romaji: Nakisou ni naru gurai shinpai shita kedo, kekka wa daijoubu datta.
English: Even though I was worried to the point of crying, the result was fine.
Example #5
五千円くらいのお土産を買いました。
Furigana: ごせんえん くらい の おみやげ を かいました。
Romaji: Gosen-en kurai no omiyage o kaimashita.
English: I bought about 5,000 yen worth of souvenirs.
Example #6
彼はプロの選手くらい有名だ。
Furigana: かれ は プロ の せんしゅ くらい ゆうめい だ。
Romaji: Kare wa puro no senshu kurai yuumei da.
English: He is as famous as a professional athlete.
Example #7
痛みで立てないくらいだった。
Furigana: いたみ で たてない くらい だった。
Romaji: Itami de tatenai kurai datta.
English: The pain was so intense that I couldn’t stand up.
Example #8
少しぐらい待っていただけませんか。
Furigana: すこし ぐらい まって いただけませんか。
Romaji: Sukoshi gurai matte itadakemasen ka.
English: Could you wait just a little while (a little bit)?
Example #9
そんなことくらい、子供でもわかる。
Furigana: そんな こと くらい、こども でも わかる。
Romaji: Sonna koto kurai, kodomo demo wakaru.
English: A simple thing like that, even a child understands.
Example #10
パーティーは誰もいないくらい静かだった。
Furigana: パーティー は だれ も いない くらい しずか だった。
Romaji: Pātī wa dare mo inai kurai shizuka datta.
English: The party was so quiet that it felt like there was nobody there.
Notes & Nuances
📌 Important Points
Use with は (wa) to stress a minimum extent.
When followed by the particle は, くらい/ぐらい emphasizes a minimum requirement or condition. This structure is common for complaints or statements of expectation.
Example: Noun + くらい/ぐらい + は (あいさつくらいは – at least a greeting)
Functions as a Noun Phrase End Marker.
くらい/ぐらい can be followed by だ or です to conclude a sentence, indicating that the preceding extent is the state of things. It functions almost like a noun.
Example: こんな簡単な問題、私にも解けるくらいだ。 (Konna kantan na mondai, watashi nimo tokeru kurai da.)
Interchangeability: くらい vs. ぐらい
Both forms are grammatically correct and interchangeable, but ぐらい is the result of euphonic voicing (rendaku) and is the more common form heard in casual spoken Japanese.
Example: ぐらいの方がより話し言葉で使われる。
⚠️ Common Mistakes
❌ 友達と一時間くらいに話した。
✅ 友達と一時間くらい話した。 (Tomodachi to ichijikan kurai hanashita.)
Do not confuse the sound change; it is not dependent on the preceding word’s voicing, but rather a natural phonetic shift (kurai -> gurai), where gurai is more common in speech. Both are grammatically correct.
❌ 東京くらい大阪も賑やかだ。
✅ このパソコンは古いけど、使えるくらいだ。 (Kono pasokon wa furui kedo, tsukaeru kurai da.)
Avoid using it as a direct substitute for simple comparisons without quantifying the extent. Use the particle を or に for simple directional comparisons.
❌ 「くらい」と「ほど」の使い分けを気にしすぎる。
✅ コーヒーを飲むくらいなら、お茶を飲む方がましだ。 (Kōhī o nomu kurai nara, ocha o nomu hō ga mashi da.)
While both mean ‘to the extent of,’ ほど is often used when the extent is being compared negatively (“not as X as”) or for stronger exaggeration. Use くらい for general approximation or simple degree.
🏛️ Cultural Context
Politeness Level: Neutral. It is neither particularly polite nor impolite. Its use is determined by the context, not the pattern itself.
Social Situations: Appropriate in almost all social situations where estimation or degree is required, from friendly discussions to business meetings (though more formal phrasing might be used for large, critical estimates).
Regional Variations: The choice between くらい and ぐらい is often regional and personal, though ぐらい is generally more prevalent nationwide in relaxed speech due to the sound change (rendaku).
🔍 Subtle Differences
～くらい / ～ぐらい vs. ～ほど
くらい/ぐらい primarily expresses a neutral approximation or degree. ほど (hodo) is often used for stronger comparison, particularly in negative sentences (e.g., 「～ほど…ない」 meaning “not as X as…”), and can imply a greater extent or limit.
When to use: Use くらい/ぐらい for simple estimations (time, money) or moderate degree. Use ほど when making a clear comparison or emphasizing an extreme degree/limit.
～くらい / ～ぐらい vs. ～ばかり
ばかり can also mean ‘about’ when used for time/quantity, but its primary function is ‘only’ or ‘just.’ くらい/ぐらい is purely for approximation or extent.
When to use: Use くらい/ぐらい for flexible estimations. Use ばかり when the approximation is very close or when the primary meaning is ‘only.’
📝 Conjugation Notes
The pattern attaches directly to nouns, and the plain (dictionary) form of verbs, i-adjectives, and na-adjectives (often Noun+くらい/ぐらい). It does not require special conjugation of the preceding word, only the dictionary/plain form.
🔊 Pronunciation Tips
While くらい uses an unvoiced ‘k’, ぐらい uses a voiced ‘g’. Practice the smoother transition of the voiced ‘g’ when speaking quickly, as this is the most natural conversational form.
🧠 Memory Tips
Think of くらい (kura-i) as standing for ‘KURA-su’ (to compare/measure). Associate the sound ‘gurai’ (gu-ra-i) with ‘GUESSING’ (approximation).
Other Grammar
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