JLPT N4 reference · Comparison and quantity
Approximation with くらい
It commonly marks an approximate amount and can also indicate degree.
Core meaning and form
Place くらい or ぐらい after a number, duration, quantity, or clause. くらい and ぐらい are usually interchangeable in approximation, with variation by speaker and phrase.
- Form: Place くらい or ぐらい after a number, duration, quantity, or clause.
- Core use: It commonly marks an approximate amount and can also indicate degree.
- Context: くらい and ぐらい are usually interchangeable in approximation, with variation by speaker and phrase.
Examples in context
駅まで十分ぐらいです。Eki made juppun gurai desu.It is about ten minutes to the station.
三千円くらいかかりました。Sanzen-en kurai kakarimashita.It cost about three thousand yen.
立てないくらい疲れました。Tatenai kurai tsukaremashita.I was so tired that I could not stand.
Common errors
- Do not select this pattern from an English translation alone; check its attachment and discourse function.
- Keep the surrounding sentence in a consistent plain, polite, spoken, or written register.
Quick summary
- Place くらい or ぐらい after a number, duration, quantity, or clause.
- It commonly marks an approximate amount and can also indicate degree.
- くらい and ぐらい are usually interchangeable in approximation, with variation by speaker and phrase.