At a glance
くらい (also ぐらい) after a noun, usually a number with a counter, means "about" or "approximately". After some other nouns it can mean "at least".
Number + counter + くらい / ぐらい
Noun + くらい / ぐらい
駅まで十分くらいかかります。 It takes about ten minutes to the station.
How to form it
くらい attaches directly to the noun. It does not change form.
| Attaches to | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Number + counter | 三時間くらい | about three hours |
| Number + counter | 百円ぐらい | about 100 yen |
| これ / それ / あれ | これくらい | about this much |
| どの / どれ | どのくらい | how long / how much |
| Other nouns | 電話ぐらい | at least a phone call |
Register: くらい and ぐらい have the same meaning. Both are used in polite and casual speech.