JLPT N4 Grammar
· Elementary
Search pages and navigate
· Elementary
to the extent of; as much as
Category: Degree & Limits
The grammar pattern ～ほど (hodo) is used to describe the degree or extent of something by providing an example. It can be used to compare the degree of two things or to express the level of something. For example, '昨日は死ぬほど疲れました' means 'I was extremely tired yesterday.' The nuance of this pattern is to emphasize the degree of something, making it more vivid and clear. However, it's essential to use it correctly to avoid confusion with other patterns like ～くらい/～ぐらい.
| Form | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb form | ~ hodo ~ | 昨日は死ぬほど疲れました。 |
| Adjective form | ~ hodo ~ | 今年の夏は去年ほど暑くないですね。 |
| Noun form | ~ hodo ~ | 山の上は、下から見るほど高くなかったです。 |
昨日は死ぬほど疲れました。
Kinou wa shinu hodo tsukare mashita.
I was extremely tired yesterday.
昨日は (yesterday) + 死ぬほど (to the extent of dying) + 疲れました (I was tired)
今年の夏は去年ほど暑くないですね。
Kotoshi no natsu wa kyonen hodo atsuku nai desu ne.
This summer is not as hot as last year.
今年の夏 (this summer) + 去年ほど (to the extent of last year) + 暑くない (not hot)
山の上は、下から見るほど高くなかったです。
Yama no ue wa, shita kara miru hodo takaku nakatta desu.
The mountain was not as high as I thought from below.
山の上 (the top of the mountain) + 下から見るほど (to the extent of seeing from below) + 高くなかった (not high)
～ほど is used to express the degree or extent of something. It's essential to use it correctly to avoid confusion with other patterns like ～くらい/～ぐらい. In formal writing, ～ほど is often used to express a comparison, while in informal writing, it's used to express a level or degree. For example, '今年の夏は去年ほど暑くない' is a formal way to say '今年の夏は去年ほど暑くない' in informal writing.
～ほど is used to express a general degree or extent, not a specific point in time. For example, '昨日は死ぬほど疲れました' is correct, but '昨日は死ぬほど疲れましたが、明日は元気です' is incorrect because it uses ～ほど with a specific point in time.
～ほど is used to express a comparison, but the comparison structure must be correct. For example, '今年の夏は去年ほど暑くない' is correct, but '今年の夏は去年ほど暑くないが、今年の冬は去年ほど寒くない' is incorrect because it uses the wrong comparison structure.
～ほど and ～くらい/～ぐらい are both used to express a degree or extent, but they have different nuances. ～ほど is used to emphasize the degree of something, while ～くらい/～ぐらい is used to express a general degree or extent. For example, '今年の夏は死ぬほど暑いです' is correct, but '今年の夏は死ぬくらい暑いです' is incorrect because it uses the wrong pattern.
In the JLPT N4 exam, ～ほど is often used in reading comprehension questions to express a degree or extent. Be careful to use the correct pattern and comparison structure to avoid mistakes.
昨日は死ぬ______疲れました。
Our adaptive engine will quiz you on this grammar pattern and track your progress toward mastery.