To the extent of, about: 〜ほど
plain form / Noun + ほど
plain form / quantity + ほど: to the point of (degree, often extreme), about (more formal than ぐらい). Never plays things down; これほど = to this extent.
In short
〜ほど expresses a degree, often an extreme one: “to the point of, so… that” (死ぬほど疲れた). After a quantity, it means “about”, in a more formal register than ぐらい (三十分ほど). Unlike くらい, ほど is never used to play things down.
- 死ぬほど疲れた。しぬほどつかれた。I'm dead tired.
- 駅まで、歩いて三十分ほどかかります。えきまで、あるいてさんじゅっぷんほどかかります。It's about thirty minutes' walk to the station.
- おなかが痛くなるほど笑った。おなかがいたくなるほどわらった。I laughed so hard my stomach hurt.
- 会場には、百人ほどの人が集まった。かいじょうには、ひゃくにんほどのひとがあつまった。Around a hundred people gathered in the hall.
The basics
ほど (程) means “measure, extent”. After a clause, it says how far a quality or a state goes: “to the point of, so… that”. Like くらい, it readily leans on an exaggerated image (死ぬほど, “to death”).
After a number, ほど means “about”. It's the word you hear in announcements and shops: 五分ほどお待ちください.
I laughed so hard my stomach hurt.
- noun
- verb
- particle
- 京都の紅葉は、言葉が出ないほど美しかった。きょうとのこうようは、ことばがでないほどうつくしかった。Kyoto's autumn leaves were breathtakingly beautiful.
- 五分ほどお待ちください。ごふんほどおまちください。Please wait about five minutes.
How to form it
ほど follows a verb or an adjective in the plain form, or a quantity. With これ・それ・あれ, you get これほど (“this much, to this extent”): it expresses admiration or astonishment, never disdain.
| Construction | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| V / Adj (plain) + ほど | to the point of | 死ぬほど疲れた |
| quantity + ほど | about (formal) | 三十分ほど、百人ほど |
| これ・それ + ほど | to this extent | これほど美しい町 |
- これほど美しい庭は、見たことがない。これほどうつくしいにわは、みたことがない。I've never seen such a beautiful garden.
- 朝から、泣きたいほど忙しい。あさから、なきたいほどいそがしい。I've been so busy since this morning I could cry.
ほど or くらい?
For degree and approximation, ほど and くらい are often interchangeable. ほど is more formal, more written; くらい more casual. But only くらい can play things down: これくらいできる (“that's nothing”) has no equivalent with ほど. これほど, on the contrary, stresses importance.
For a time of day, neither: say 三時ごろ.
| Phrase | Nuance |
|---|---|
| 三十分ほど待った | about thirty minutes (formal) |
| 三十分ぐらい待った | about thirty minutes (everyday) |
| これくらいできる | that's easy (plays down) |
| これほどきれいだとは | so beautiful! (admiring) |
- バスを三十分ほど待ちました。ばすをさんじゅっぷんほどまちました。I waited about thirty minutes for the bus.
Common mistakes
- Using ほど to play things down: “これほど自分でできる” doesn't mean “I can do that on my own”; it's これくらい.
- Thinking ほど on its own means “the more… the more”: that idea needs the construction 〜ば〜ほど (covered later).
- Using ほど with a time of day: “三時ほど” is wrong; say 三時ごろ.
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 N3 point is on the Biwako Line (Work and the economy) of the Kyoto lines.