N3 Grammar Course

Teacher

Marshall

Lesson 21: ～くらい/ぐらい

Usage:

Verb(Dictionary Form, Past Tense Form, Negative Form…) + くらい/ぐらい
Te Form of Verb + いる + くらい/ぐらい
i-Adj + くらい/ぐらい
na-Adj + な + くらい/ぐらい
Noun + くらい/ぐらい

Meaning 1:

「～くらい/ぐらい」means “so/such…that…(high level)”.

Examples of Meaning 1:

怖こわくて怖こわくて、大声おおごえで叫さけびたいくらいだった。
I was so scared that I wanted to scream out.

今日きょうは忙いそがしくて、お昼ひるを食たべる時じ間かんもないくらいだ。
I’m so busy today that I don’t have time to have lunch.

Notes:

①You can use ～ほど to replace くらい/ぐらい when it means “so/such…that…”.(high level)

今日きょうは忙いそがしくて、お昼ひるを食たべる時じ間かんもないほどだ。
I’m so busy today that I don’t have time to have lunch.

②You can use ～くらい/ぐらい～はない to express the highest level.

彼かれくらい努ど力りょくする人ひとはいない。
There is no one that works harder than him.

③You can use ～ほど～はない to express the highest level too.

彼かれほど努ど力りょくする人ひとはいない。
There is no one that works harder than him.

Meaning 2:

「～くらい/ぐらい」means “so/such…that…(low level)”.

Example of Meaning 2:

こんな簡単かんたんなことくらい、誰だれでもできる。
This task is so simple that anyone could do it.

Note:

Please don’t use ～ほど to replace くらい/ぐらい when it means “so/such…that…(low level)”.