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About / approximately
Definition
The grammar pattern "くらい / ぐらい" is used to express approximate quantity, time, or degree. It can follow numbers, counters, and time expressions to indicate a range or an estimate. This pattern is often used in casual conversations and can be interchangeable with "くらい" and "ぐらい", although "ぐらい" is slightly more casual. Additionally, "くらい" can be used to express a minimum degree, as seen in phrases like "これくらい" (about this much).
Structure
| Form | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Counters and numbers | Number + の + くらい / ぐらい | 3人の友達ぐらい |
| Time expressions | Time + ぐらい | 2時間ぐらい |
| Adjectives and adverbs | Adjective/Adverb + ぐらい | 大変ぐらい |
Examples
駅まで歩いて30分ぐらいかかります。
Eki made aruite 30-fun gurai kkarimasu.
It takes about 30 minutes to walk to the station.
駅まで歩いて (walk to the station), 30分 (30 minutes), ぐらい (about), かかります (takes)
毎日2時間ぐらい日本語を勉強します。
Mainichi 2-jikan gurai Nihongo o benkyou shimasu.
I study Japanese for about 2 hours every day.
毎日 (every day), 2時間 (2 hours), ぐらい (about), 日本語 (Japanese), 勉強 (study)
学生が20人ぐらいいます。
Gakusei ga 20-nin gurai imasu.
There are about 20 students.
学生 (students), が (there are), 20人 (20 people), ぐらい (about), います (are)
Context
The grammar pattern "くらい / ぐらい" is commonly used in casual conversations to express approximate quantities, times, or degrees. It can be used with numbers, counters, and time expressions to indicate a range or an estimate. This pattern is often used in spoken language and can be interchangeable with "くらい" and "ぐらい", although "ぐらい" is slightly more casual.
Watch out
While "ごろ" is used to express approximate time of day, "くらい / ぐらい" is used for durations and quantities.
The grammar pattern "くらい / ぐらい" is used to express approximate quantities, times, or degrees, not exact ones.
While "くらい / ぐらい" can be used to express a minimum degree, the correct phrase to use is "これくらい".
Strategy
When using the grammar pattern "くらい / ぐらい" in the JLPT exam, make sure to use it correctly to express approximate quantities, times, or degrees. Pay attention to the context and use the correct form of "くらい / ぐらい" to avoid mistakes.
In context
Worked examples drawn from JLPT N5 test-style questions. Each sentence shows くらい / ぐらい used correctly, with a brief note on what the pattern is doing.
駅まで歩いて30分ぐらいかかります。
Pattern used: ぐらい
ぐらい expresses approximate duration. It takes about 30 minutes. ごろ is only for approximate points in time, not durations.
毎日2時間ぐらい日本語を勉強します。
Pattern used: ぐらい
ぐらい after a duration means 'about'. I study Japanese for about 2 hours. ごろ cannot follow durations — only time points (3時ごろ).
学生が20人ぐらいいます。
Pattern used: ぐらい
ぐらい after a quantity means 'approximately'. There are about 20 students. だけ would mean 'only 20' — a restriction, not an approximation.
Interactive
駅まで歩いて30分______かかります。
Adaptive practice
Our adaptive engine will quiz you on this grammar pattern and track your progress toward mastery.