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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    Standard

  • 使用域

    一般

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.
  • 死(し)ぬほど練習(れんしゅう)したけれど、試合(しあい)に出(で)られなかった。
    I practiced myself to death, but I was not able to enter the tournament.
  • その気持(きも)ちは痛(いた)いほど分(わか)かるけど、だからってそういう事(こと)言(い)ってもいいと言(い)う訳(わけ)では無(な)いよ。
    I understand how you feel to the point that it hurts, but that doesn't mean that you can say stuff like that.
  • それは嫌(いや)なほど聞(き)かされたから、分(わ)かってる。
    I have been told that so much that I don't want to hear it anymore, I get it.
  • あと10分(ぷん)ほどで着(つ)きます。
    I will be there in about 10 minutes.
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)は二度(にど)と走(はし)りたくないほど走(はし)った。
    Today, I ran so much that I never want to run again.

Examples

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

    It was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

  • 二度(にど)と食(た)べたくないほど、ピザを食(た)べた。

    I ate pizza to the extent that I don't ever want to eat it again.

    二度と + negative verb means 'never again'.

  • わがままと言(い)うほど甘(あま)やかしている。

    I am spoiling her/him to the extent that people would say she/he's selfish.

  • 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。

    This time, I plan to go on a trip for about one week.

  • あの二人(ふたり)は他人(たにん)なのに、驚(おどろ)くほどよく似(に)ている。

    Those two are complete strangers, but they look surprisingly similar. (so much so)

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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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