ほど・
ほど and くらい hold something up as a measure: "this much". The end of the sentence says the rest: things got that far, they fall short of it, or nothing else comes close.
not as … as
Today is not as cold as yesterday.
So … that
Plain form + ほど／くらい
Mostly after a verb: 死ぬほど, 眠れないほど, 泣きたいくらい. The verb usually stays in the present form even when the sentence is about the past. ぐらい is the same word as くらい.
Not as … as
A は B ほど + negative
B is the bar, and A doesn't reach it.
Nothing is as … as
B ほど／くらい + description + noun + はない
The noun is often just もの, "thing". About people it ends 人はいない.
At least; a mere …
Noun／verb dictionary form + くらい
After something small: それくらい, "that much, at least"; 風邪くらいで, "for a mere cold"; 聞くくらいは, "listening, at least".
Which ほど, which くらい?
After a number or an amount, くらい is usually plain "about". ほど does the same, a little more politely: 十分ほど.
It is about a ten-minute walk to the station.
ば～ほどN3
ほど with two things changing together: "the more …, the more …". The word before it is said twice, though the first can drop: 早いほどいい, the sooner the better.
This novel gets more interesting the more you read it.
So … that
Before ほど or くらい comes a picture of how strong something is: what it does to you, or nearly does. English builds it the other way around, with the picture last: "so nervous that my voice shook".
I was so nervous that my voice was trembling.
Yesterday I was so tired that I didn't even have the energy to make dinner.
The picture is often an exaggeration, like "I could have died", and a few are set phrases.
死ぬほどso much I could die
I'm so busy this week I could die.
山ほどa mountain of
There is a mountain of work left.
驚くほどamazingly
Lunch at this place is amazingly cheap.
ほど or くらい?
Here either will usually do. くらい is the more casual, ほど a little more formal and the usual one in writing. Set phrases such as 死ぬほど and 山ほど stay with ほど.
Not as … as: ほど～ない
より says which one has more of something. ほど with a negative says which one has less. くらい isn't used for this.
This room is bigger than the room next door.
This room is the bigger one.
This room is not as big as the room next door.
The room next door is the bigger one.
Ken is not as good at cooking as Mika.
Gentler than ミカより下手だ, "worse than Mika".
This town is convenient too, but it is not as convenient as Tokyo.
Both are convenient. Tokyo is the bar.
Comparing two things, ほど goes with a negative. When they are level, English keeps "as … as", but Japanese changes the word to と同じくらい.
Not said: 私は
(I am as tall as my older brother.)
Level with him: 私は兄と同じくらい背が高い.
Not as … as I expected
思ったほど～ないnot as … as I expected
The exam wasn't as hard as I expected.
以前ほど～ないnot as … as before
These days I don't go to the library as often as I used to.
それほど～ないnot that …
This film wasn't that interesting.
Nothing is as … as: ほど～はない
This is 一番 said with feeling: you look for a rival and find none. It praises and complains equally well, and くらい works as well as ほど.
Travel has many pleasures, but nothing is as relaxing as a hot spring.
When I'm in trouble, no one is as dependable as my older sister.
Among life's minor stresses, nothing is as unpleasant as the morning traffic.
In "not as … as" the description itself is negative. Here it stays positive, and the ない comes after the noun.
This lake is not as deep as that lake.
Two lakes. This one doesn't reach the bar.
Around here, no lake is as deep as that one.
That lake against all the others. None reaches the bar.
Only くらい: at least, a mere …
After something small, くらい says "that little": the least anyone could do, or nothing to make a fuss about. ほど can't say this.
Do that much yourself, at least.
If you're going to be late, at least let me know.
I can't take time off work for a mere cold.
I can at least listen.
After a verb too: listening is the least I can do.
Close neighbours
The base for comparing: "than", "more", "the most".
Today is colder than yesterday.
くらいならN3
"I'd rather … than". What comes before it is something you refuse to put up with.
Rather than stand in line for a whole hour, I'll give up for today.
Check yourself
1"My room is as big as my older brother's."
Choose an answer to see why.
2What does this mean?
彼女ほど
Choose an answer to see why.
3Which one fits?
自分の
Choose an answer to see why.
More detail
ほどではない
After a clause, ほどではない is "not so much that".
I have a slight headache, but not so bad that I'd take medicine.
Before a noun, and at the end
Before a noun it takes の, and it can close the sentence with だ.
The pain went on, so bad that I couldn't sleep.
The shaking was so strong that I couldn't stay on my feet.
In kanji
Now and then they are written 程 and 位.
More sentences
This box is so heavy that one person can't move it.
I was so delighted by the exam result that I could have jumped for joy.
Before the deadline, I was so busy I'd have taken help from anyone.
A set phrase: so busy you'd borrow a cat's paws.
I cannot swim as fast as my older sister.
The train home was not as crowded as the morning train.
My younger brother doesn't eat as much as my older brother.
In this town, no road is as scenic as the coastal road.
I've been to all sorts of places, but no café is as relaxing as this one.
Many things are hard to predict, but nothing is as changeable as mountain weather.