Meaning
Shows an approximate amount, time, or degree.
Formation
- After an amount it means about: 三十分ぐらい, 千円くらい
- After a noun it marks degree: これぐらい
- くらい and ぐらい are interchangeable
When to use it
- Core use
- Shows an approximate amount, time, or degree
Examples
14 sentences-
三十分ぐらい待ちました
I waited for about thirty minutes.
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千円くらいです
It is about one thousand yen.
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駅まで十分ぐらい歩きます
I walk for about ten minutes to the station.
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この教室には二十人ぐらいいます
There are about twenty people in this classroom.
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駅まで十五分ぐらい歩きます
It is about a fifteen-minute walk to the station.
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この本は二千円くらいです
This book costs about two thousand yen.
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三十人ぐらい来ました
About thirty people came.
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毎日一時間くらい読みます
I read for about an hour every day.
6 more examples
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五枚ぐらいコピーしてください
Please make about five copies.
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家から学校まで二キロぐらいです
It is about two kilometres from my house to school.
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一週間くらい休みたいです
I want to rest for about a week.
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この箱は三キロぐらいあります
This box weighs about three kilograms.
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あと十分くらい待ちましょう
Let's wait for about ten more minutes.
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写真を百枚ぐらい撮りました
I took about a hundred photos.
Important notes
- くらい and ぐらい are interchangeable and give an approximate amount: 三十分ぐらい, 千円くらい. For an approximate point in time use ごろ: 三時ごろ.
Common mistakes
- Do not confuse an estimate with distribution: 二人ぐらい (about two people) vs 二人ずつ (two at a time).
Check yourself
Pick the translation of each sentence. The wrong options translate similar patterns, so watch the grammar rather than the words.
Similar grammar
Hear it in podcasts
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