Translation guide
This guide covers how to ask about duration (how long something takes or lasts) and length (physical extent) in Japanese. The most common pattern uses どのくらい, but other expressions like どれくらい, どのぐらい, and なんじかん are also important depending on context.
どのくらいかかりますか。
How long does it take?
長さはどのくらいですか。
How long is it? (length)
The speaker wants to know how long an action or state lasts, or how much time something takes.
The most common and versatile way to ask 'how long' regarding time. It can be used for both duration and length of time. Often followed by かかりますか (takes) or ですか (is it).
ここから駅までどのくらいかかりますか。
How long does it take from here to the station?
日本語を勉強してどのくらいですか。
How long have you been studying Japanese?
Very similar to どのくらい, slightly more casual. Interchangeable in most situations.
映画はどれくらいの長さですか。
How long is the movie?
A variant of どのくらい with a voiced sound. Common in spoken Japanese, especially among younger speakers.
待ち時間はどのぐらいですか。
How long is the waiting time?
Specifically asks 'how many hours'. Use when you expect an answer in hours.
飛行機で何時間かかりますか。
How many hours does it take by plane?
More explicit way to ask about time duration, literally 'how much time'. Slightly more formal.
この作業にはどのくらいの時間が必要ですか。
How much time is needed for this task?
The speaker wants to know the length of an object or distance.
Use this pattern to ask 'how long' about physical length. 長さ means 'length'.
このテーブルの長さはどのくらいですか。
How long is this table?
Casual variant of どのくらいの長さ.
その川の長さはどれくらい？
How long is that river?
Asks specifically for length in meters. Replace メートル with other units like センチ (centimeters) or キロ (kilometers).
このロープは何メートルですか。
How many meters is this rope?
The speaker wants to know how long in terms of days, weeks, etc.
Asks 'how many days'. Note: pronunciation can be なんにち or なんにちかん depending on context.
旅行は何日間ですか。
How many days is the trip?
Asks 'how many weeks'.
夏休みは何週間ありますか。
How many weeks of summer vacation are there?
Asks 'how many months'.
Asks 'how many years'.
ここで働いて何年ですか。
How many years have you worked here?
These three are largely interchangeable. どのくらい is the standard form. どれくらい is slightly more casual. どのぐらい is a voiced variant common in speech. All can be used for both time and physical length.
どのくらい待ちますか。
How long will we wait?
どれくらい待ちますか。
How long will we wait? (casual)
To ask 'how long has it been since...', use どのくらい前に or いつから. どのくらい alone can be ambiguous.
彼が来てからどのくらいですか。
How long has it been since he came?
会議はどのくらいですか。
How long is the meeting?
どのくらい待っていますか。
How long have you been waiting?
日本に何ヶ月滞在しますか。
How many months will you stay in Japan?