JLPT N3・N5 Vocabulary – Can “くらい” and “ほど” be used interchangeably?
Table of Contents
1. Can “くらい” and “ほど” be used interchangeably?
2. ほど
3. くらい
4. Let’s Compare
5. Summary
6. Quiz
7. Similar Articles
8. Comment
Q: Is it necessary to distinguish between “くらい” and “ほど”?
A: Yes, it is. “ほど” has two main uses: expressing degree and proportional relationships.
When expressing degree, it can often be replaced with “くらい.”
However, when expressing proportional relationships, “くらい” cannot be used as a substitute.
ほど (JLPT N3)
[When expressing degree]
[Meaning]
Indicates that something has reached a certain degree or level
[Rules]
[V] Verb plain form + ほど
[A] い adjective + ほど
[Na] な adjective + ほど
[N] Noun + ほど
[Point]
In many cases, “ほど” can be replaced with “くらい,” but “ほど” gives a slightly more formal or objective impression.
This use emphasizes the intensity or extent of a condition or state.
It is often used with metaphorical or concrete expressions, and typically follows verbs that do not express the speaker’s will, or the 〜たい form.
[Examples]
歩けないほど足が痛いです。
My legs hurt so much that I can’t walk.
お腹が痛くなるほど笑いました。
I laughed so much that my stomach started to hurt.
以前ほど仕事は大変ではありません。
Work is not as tough as it used to be.
医者「どれほど痛いですか？」
患者「歩けないほど足が痛いです。」
Doctor: “How much does it hurt?”
Patient: “It hurts so much I can’t walk.”
* You cannot say “どのほど,” but with “くらい,” both “どのくらい” and “どれくらい” are acceptable (in spoken language, “どれくらい” is more common).
[When expressing proportional relationships]
[Meaning]
The more 〜, the more … / As 〜 increases, … also increases.
[Rules]
[V] Verb dictionary form + ほど
[A] い adjective + ほど
[Na] な adjective + な + ほど
[N] Noun + ほど
[Point]
In this usage, “ほど” cannot be replaced with “くらい.”
This structure means “the more you do A, the more B happens,” and it expresses a proportional relationship—a change in degree or quantity that increases or decreases in relation to something else.
[Examples]
日本語は勉強するほど難しくなります。
The more you study Japanese, the harder it gets.
駅に近いほど家賃は高くなりますよ。
The closer it is to the station, the higher the rent gets.
仕事は楽なほどいいです。
The easier the job is, the better.
最近は若い人ほど元気がない気がします。
Lately, it feels like the younger people are the ones with less energy.
くらい (JLPT N5)
[Meaning]
Indicates a degree or extent (often sensory, approximate, or illustrative in nature)
[Rules]
[V] Verb plain form + くらい
[A] い adjective + くらい
[Na] な adjective + くらい
[N] Noun + くらい / ぐらい
[Point]
“くらい” is commonly used in spoken language and tends to express a subjective or sensory sense of degree.
In many cases, it can be replaced with “ほど” when expressing degree, but the level of formality and nuance may differ slightly.
[Examples]
倒れそうなくらいおなかがすいています。
I’m so hungry I feel like I might collapse.
お腹が痛くなるくらい笑いました。
I laughed so much my stomach started to hurt.
今朝は7時ぐらいに起きました。
I woke up at around 7 o’clock this morning.
Let’s Compare
Then, in the following cases, which expression do you think is more appropriate?
[Example ①]
米粒ほどの大きさの文字です。
米粒くらいの大きさの文字です。
[Example ②]
ワインは古いほど価値がある。
ワインは古いくらい価値がある。
Answer: ① Both are acceptable. ② “ほど” is more natural.
In ①, the letters are not literally grains of rice, but the expression is metaphorical, meaning the letters are as small as grains of rice.
In this kind of case, both “くらい” and “ほど” can be used, with “くらい” sounding a bit more casual and conversational.
In ②, the sentence shows a proportional relationship: the older the wine gets, the more valuable it becomes.
Therefore, “ほど” is the correct and natural choice. “くらい” cannot be used to express this kind of progressive or proportional change.
Summary
[ほど]
- “ほど” has two main uses: expressing degree and expressing proportional relationships.
- When expressing degree, it is often used with metaphorical or concrete examples, as well as with verbs that do not show the speaker’s intention or with the “〜たい” form.
- The proportional relationship use of “ほど” means “the more 〜, the more …” and indicates that a change increases in proportion to some degree or quantity.
[くらい]
- “くらい” can also be used to express degree, but it is more often used in subjective or sensory expressions and is commonly found in spoken language.
- However, it cannot be used to express proportional relationships.
Quiz
Read the following sentence and choose the expression that fits the context from the options provided in the parentheses.
Click on the question to check the answer.
A. ほど
外国語は話すほど上手になりますよ。
The more you speak a foreign language, the better you get.
*This shows a proportional relationship, so “ほど” is the correct choice.
A. 方法
どのくらい勉強しましたか。
How much did you study?
*Only “くらい” can be used after “どの.”
A. どちらでもいい
水も飲めないくらい、のどが痛いです。
水も飲めないほど、のどが痛いです。
My throat hurts so much I can’t even drink water.
*Since this expresses the pain through a concrete example, both “くらい” and “ほど” are appropriate.
A. ほど
安いほど物の質は悪くなります。
The cheaper it is, the worse the quality gets.
*This shows a proportional relationship where cheaper price leads to lower quality, so “ほど” is the correct choice.
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