Grammar Info

N3 Lesson 2: 5/22

程(ほど)The more, About, To the extent that, So much… that

Structure

Verb + ほど
［い］Adjective + ほど
［な］Adjective + な + ほど
Noun + ほど

Details

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About ほど

ほど, coming from the kanji 程(ほど) 'an extent', is used for describing rough estimates about the 'amount' of something. However, unlike expressions such as くらい (which focuses more on the speaker's uncertainty about the exact number), ほど puts emphasis on the upper (or lower) limit of something as having been 'reached'. Due to this, it is usually translated as 'so much that (A)', or 'to the extent that (A)'.

ほど can be added on to the end of the attributive form of any word. The attributive form being the form that is able to be partnered directly with nouns.

Caution

Although くらい may be used to describe something that is 'around' a certain extent (regardless of whether it is above or below that extent), 程(ほど) refers specifically to the 'limit' of something, and therefore cannot be used to describe something that exceeds the stated limit. Due to this, it is regularly used to express some sort of exaggerated limit of (A), when the real extent is far below that.

  • 今日(きょう)はもう二度(にど)と走(はし)りたくないと思(おも)うほど走(はし)った。
    Today, I ran so much that I feel like I never want to run again.

Examples

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    遅(おく)れてごめんなさい。あと１０分(じゅっぷん)程(ほど)で着(つ)きます。

    I'm sorry that I'm late. I will be there in about 10 minutes. (degree・bounds・limit)

    ピンが落(お)ちた音(おと)が聞(き)こえる程(ほど)、静(しず)かだった。

    It was quiet to the extent that you could hear a pin drop. (degree・bounds・limit)

    もう二度(にど)と食(た)べたくないと思(おも)う程(ほど)、ピザを食(た)べた。

    I ate pizza to the extent that I don't think that I ever want to eat it again. (degree・bounds・limit)

    他(ほか)の人(ひと)がわがままだと言(い)う程(ほど)甘(あま)やかしている。

    I am spoiling them to the extent that people would say they're selfish. (degree・bounds・limit)

    今回(こんかい)は一週間(いっしゅうかん)程(ほど)旅行(りょこう)するつもりだ。

    This time, I plan to go on a trip for about one week. (degree・bounds・limit)

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ほど – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (6 in total)

  • benuidede

    benuidede

    Thank you! that makes more sense now.

  • TypicalGatsby

    TypicalGatsby

    Concerning:
    今回こんかいは一週間いっしゅうかん ほど 旅行りょこうするつもりだ。

    I’m having a hard time finding info from the sources provided about why I should be using ほど instead of くらい/ぐらい. To me, it seems like ほど is more used to express more figurative and hyperbolic statements. This just seems like a realistic statement of “going on a trip for about one week” that would be better filled by くらい/ぐらい.

  • Ambo100

    Ambo100

    I found this video helpful for the various uses of ほど, covering all the other grammar points too.

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