At a glance
Verbる くらいなら means "rather than do X, I'd rather do Y". The speaker dislikes X so much that even Y, which may not be ideal, seems better.
Verb (dictionary form) + くらいなら、[preferred action / judgment]
嘘をつくくらいなら、黙っているほうがいい。 Rather than tell a lie, it's better to stay silent.
How to form it
Put the verb for the action you want to avoid in the dictionary form, then add くらいなら.
| Verb group | Dictionary form | + くらいなら |
|---|---|---|
| う-verb | 行く | 行くくらいなら |
| る-verb | 食べる | 食べるくらいなら |
| する | する | するくらいなら |
| 来る | 来る | 来るくらいなら |
The first verb stays in the dictionary form even in polite speech. Politeness goes at the end of the sentence: 自分でやります.