Rather than: 〜くらいなら
Verb (dictionary) + くらいなら／ぐらいなら
Verb + くらいなら: rejecting an option so awful that you'd prefer something else, even something painful (〜ほうがましだ). Spoken, emotional construction. After a small quantity (少しくらいなら), it downplays instead.
In short
〜くらいなら rejects an option seen as so awful that you'd prefer anything else, even something painful: “rather than…, I'd sooner…”. What follows often contains ほうがいい, ほうがましだ (“it's still better”) or a firm decision. The construction is spoken and emotionally charged.
- あんな人に頼むくらいなら、自分でやったほうがましだ。あんなひとにたのむくらいなら、じぶんでやったほうがましだ。Rather than ask that guy, I'd sooner do it myself.
- 途中でやめるくらいなら、最初からやらないほうがいい。とちゅうでやめるくらいなら、さいしょからやらないほうがいい。Rather than give up halfway, it's better not to start.
- 捨てるくらいなら、私にちょうだい。すてるくらいなら、わたしにちょうだい。Rather than throw it away, give it to me!
The basics
くらい marks a degree: “to the point of…”. 〜くらいなら is “if it comes to (this awful thing), then…”. The first part is the rejected option, the second the choice you prefer to it, even if it's extreme or costly.
There's always an emotional rejection: shame, pride, disgust, waste. It isn't a cold comparison.
Rather than ask that guy, I'd sooner do it myself.
- noun
- verb
- grammatical form
- あの人に謝るくらいなら、会社をやめたほうがましだ。あのひとにあやまるくらいなら、かいしゃをやめたほうがましだ。Rather than apologise to him, I'd sooner resign.
How to form it
Verb in the dictionary form + くらいなら (or ぐらいなら, no difference). In the second part: 〜ほうがいい, 〜ほうがましだ, 〜たい, or a decision, a request.
| Part | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Rejected option | Verb + くらいなら | うそをつくくらいなら |
| Preference | 〜ほうがましだ | 黙っていたほうがましだ |
| Advice | 〜ほうがいい | 最初からやらないほうがいい |
| Decision, request | 〜する／〜てください | 私にちょうだい |
- うそをつくくらいなら、黙っていたほうがいい。うそをつくくらいなら、だまっていたほうがいい。Rather than lie, it's better to keep quiet.
- 満員電車に乗るくらいなら、一時間歩いたほうがましだ。まんいんでんしゃにのるくらいなら、いちじかんあるいたほうがましだ。Rather than take a packed train, I'd sooner walk for an hour.
Don't confuse: 少しくらいなら
After a small quantity (少し, ちょっと, 一杯), くらいなら has a quite different meaning: “if it's only that, it's fine”. You're downplaying rather than rejecting: 少しくらいなら大丈夫 (“a little is no problem”). It's the word before くらい that makes the difference: a hated action, or a small quantity.
- ちょっとくらいなら、手伝ってもいいよ。ちょっとくらいなら、てつだってもいいよ。If it's just a bit, I don't mind helping.
くらいなら, より, よりむしろ
より (N5) compares neutrally: バスより電車のほうが速い. くらいなら adds rejection: the first option is unbearable. よりむしろ (“rather than…”) is calmer and more written: 量よりむしろ質が大切だ.
| Construction | Nuance | Example |
|---|---|---|
| A より B のほうが | neutral comparison | バスより電車のほうが速い |
| A くらいなら B | A is unbearable, B instead | 頼むくらいなら自分でやる |
| A よりむしろ B | B rather, calm tone | 量よりむしろ質だ |
- 名古屋駅までは、バスより地下鉄のほうが速い。なごやえきまでは、バスよりちかてつのほうがはやい。To get to Nagoya Station, the subway is quicker than the bus. (neutral comparison)
Common mistakes
- Reversing the two parts: the hated option comes before くらいなら, the preferred one after.
- Using it for a harmless preference (“tea rather than coffee”): without emotional rejection, くらいなら sounds over the top; say より or ほうがいい.
- Confusing it with 少しくらいなら (“if it's only a little, it's fine”), which downplays rather than rejects.
7 exercises on this point
Particles to choose, sentences to put back in order, translations: marked straight away, then reviewed at the right time. This JLPT N2 point is on the JR Chūō Line (Nature and the seasons) of the Nagoya lines.