くらい/ぐらい②-１

About

くらい・ぐらい, in addition to making approximations, has three more advanced usages:

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  ① "To X extent"

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  ② "X is about the only thing (～は～くらい)"

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  ③ "X is easy/unimportant"

This entry concerns usage ①.

For usage ①, くらい・ぐらい is used to express that "X is to Y extent". This is often done to illustrate the speaker's feelings, or the extent of a certain scenario/aspect/etc.

くらい・ぐらい may attach directly to casual form verbs/い-adjectives:

E.g. OKをもらえて、涙なみだが出でるくらい嬉うれしかった。 "(They) gave me the O.K., and I was so happy I could've cried."

E.g. ジャケットが分厚ぶあつすぎて、5度どでも暑あついくらいだった。 "My jacket is so thick that it was hot even when it was five degrees (outside)."

To な-adjectives using な:

E.g. 買かい替かえが必要ひつようなくらいボロボロです。 "It's so beat up that I've got to buy a new one."

Or directly to nouns:

E.g. スティーブくらい上手じょうずにサッカーができたらな。 "If only I was as good at soccer as Steve."

Summary

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  くらい・ぐらい have three advanced usages: ① "To X extent", ② "X is about the only thing (～は～くらい)", ③ "X is easy/unimportant"

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  くらい・ぐらい may attach directly to casual form verbs/い-adjectives, to な-adjectives using な, or directly to nouns.