ほど

hodo

JLPT N3 #6 of 182 in N3

Degree; extent; bounds; upper limit

ほど indicates the degree or extent of something, often implying a limit or upper bound.

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How to form it

Attaches to the plain form of verbs (dictionary form, past tense), い-adjectives (plain form), な-adjective stem + な, or nouns + の.

What it means

ほど is used to express that something is to a certain degree or extent. It often appears in comparisons like 'AはBほど...' meaning 'A is not as ... as B' when used with negative sentences. It can also mean 'to the extent that' or 'so much that', indicating the degree that causes a result. For example, '泣きたいほど嬉しい' means 'so happy I could cry'. This usage is common in both speech and writing.

Example sentences

今日は昨日ほど寒くない。

Kyou wa kinou hodo samukunai.

It's not as cold today as it was yesterday.

彼女は驚くほど速く走る。

Kanojo wa odoroku hodo hayaku hashiru.

She runs so fast it's surprising.

この本は読めば読むほど面白い。

Kono hon wa yomeba yomu hodo omoshiroi.

The more you read this book, the more interesting it gets.

Don’t confuse it with

くらい/ぐらい

くらい expresses approximate degree or extent without the sense of a limit, and is often used for approximate amounts. ほど implies a more explicit upper bound or degree of extremity.

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話

When to use it

ほど is neutral and used in both spoken and written Japanese, but in casual speech, くらい is often preferred for approximations.

Next in the N3 path

7

ついaccidentally; unintentionally

8

上にas well; not only… but also

9

ないとmust do; unless/if you don't~

10

ずにwithout doing~

See the whole Grammar Path →

Questions

What does ほど mean?

Degree; extent; bounds; upper limit. ほど indicates the degree or extent of something, often implying a limit or upper bound.

How do you form ほど?

Attaches to the plain form of verbs (dictionary form, past tense), い-adjectives (plain form), な-adjective stem + な, or nouns + の.

Example of ほど in a sentence

今日は昨日ほど寒くない。 — It's not as cold today as it was yesterday.

くらい/ぐらい — what is the difference?

くらい expresses approximate degree or extent without the sense of a limit, and is often used for approximate amounts. ほど implies a more explicit upper bound or degree of extremity.

What JLPT level is ほど?

JLPT N3 (intermediate), number 6 of 182 in Nihoner's learning order for N3.