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文法 · JLPT N3 grammar
〜くらいなら
kurai nara · rather than ~, I would sooner ~
〜くらいなら rejects an option as worse than the alternative: 謝るくらいなら、最初からしないで, rather than apologise, just don't do it.
How to form it
| V-dictionary + くらいなら / ぐらいなら | 捨てるくらいなら |
How it is used
The second half is usually 〜ほうがいい or 〜ほうがましだ: the lesser evil.
くらい and ぐらい are interchangeable here.
Examples
Tap a kanji for its reading.
- 捨てるくらいなら、私にください。Rather than throw it away, give it to me.
- 満員電車に乗るぐらいなら、歩いて行きます。I'd rather walk than take a packed train.
- うそをつくくらいなら、何も言わないほうがいい。Better to say nothing than to lie.
- 後で後悔するくらいなら、今やってみよう。Rather than regret it later, let's try it now.