JLPT N2 Shinkanzen Grammar Lesson 21: ～ぐらい・～なんて・～にして (To the extent that... / Emphasis...)

～ぐらい・～なんて・～にして (To the extent that... / Emphasis...)

JLPT N2
Shinkanzen N2 • 6 key grammar patterns
Point 1N2_L21_G1

1. ～くらい / ～ぐらい (About / At least / As little as...)

Sentence Pattern
Noun N / Plain form + くらい / ぐらい
* Na-adjective だ -> な

Meaning: Expresses degree: “to the extent of / about / at least...”.
✓ In the usage highlighted here, the speaker often presents something as a small, minor, or minimum degree: “something as little as that / at least that much.”
✓ It can follow a noun or a clause. くらい and ぐらい are basically equivalent; ぐらい is especially common in conversation.
✓ Do not treat ぐらい after nouns as an obligatory rule.

Example Sentences (3)
うちに帰かえってきたら、自分じぶんの靴くつぐらいちゃんと並ならべなさい。
When you get home, at least put your own shoes neatly in place.
この携帯電話けいたいでんわは、ちょっとぐらいならぬれても大丈夫だいじょうぶです。
This mobile phone is fine if it only gets a little wet.
少すこし話はなしたくらいで、その人ひとがどんな人ひとかはわからないだろう。
Just talking with someone a little is not enough to know what kind of person they are.
Point 2N2_L21_G2

2. ～など / ～なんか / ～なんて (Things like... / Something like...)

Sentence Pattern
Noun N (+ particle) + など / なんて / なんか

Meaning: Presents a person, thing, or matter as an example; in this usage it often carries a dismissive, belittling, or self-deprecating nuance.
✓ なんか / なんて are more conversational than など. など can also be used in formal/written contexts depending on its function.
✓ なんて has other uses as well, so it should not always be interpreted as contemptuous.
✓ The following clause often contains an evaluation such as “not worth worrying about,” “no need to...,” or self-deprecation.

Example Sentences (3)
あの人ひとの言いったことなど気きにすることはありません。
There’s no need to worry about things that person said.
新聞記者しんぶんきしゃになんかならなければよかった。仕事しごとがきつすぎる。
I wish I had never become something like a newspaper reporter. The work is far too demanding.
桜井さくらいさんは文章ぶんしょうがとてもうまい。わたしなんて簡単かんたんな文ぶんもちゃんと書かけないのに。
Sakurai is very good at writing. Someone like me can’t even write a simple sentence properly.
Point 3N2_L21_G3

3. ～まで / ～までして / ～てまで (Even to the point of... / Going so far as to...)

Sentence Pattern
Noun N (+ particle) + まで / までして
Vて + まで

Meaning: Even... / go so far as to... / even do... in order to...
✓ Nまで gives an unexpected or extreme example: “even N...”.
✓ Nまでして / Vてまで emphasize going so far as to use an exceptional action or means to achieve a purpose.
✓ They often convey surprise, criticism, or strong evaluation, but not necessarily literal disbelief.

Example Sentences (4)
一番いちばんに賛成さんせいしてくれると思おもっていた母ははまでわたしの結婚けっこんに反対はんたいした。
Even my mother, whom I thought would support me most, opposed my marriage.
カンニングまでしていい点てんを取とりたかったのですか。
Did you want a good score so badly that you would even cheat?
遊園地ゆうえんちでは、みんな長ながい時間並じかんならんでまでジェットコースターに乗のりたがる。
At the amusement park, people want to ride the roller coaster so badly that they are willing to wait in line for a long time.
家族かぞくや友人ゆうじんを悲かなしませるようなことをしてまで成功せいこうしたいとは思わない。
I don’t want success so badly that I would do things that make my family and friends sad.
Point 4N2_L21_G4

4. ～として～ない (Not even a single... / Not one...)

Sentence Pattern
何 / だれ + 一 + quantity counter + として～ない

Meaning: Completely negates something, emphasizing that not even the smallest possible unit—such as one person, one time, or one thing—exists or occurs.
✓ Always used with the minimum counting unit, such as one person, one time, or one item.
✓ The following clause must be completely negative.

Example Sentences (3)
彼かれの提案ていあんにだれ一人ひとりとして反対はんたいできなかった。
Not a single person was able to oppose his proposal.
人生じんせいに無駄むだなものは何一なにひとつとしてない。失敗しっぱいも必かならず何なにかの役やくに立たつはずだ。
There is not a single thing in life that is completely meaningless. Even failure will surely be useful for something.
彼女かのじょはこれまで一度いちどとして練習れんしゅうを休やすんだことはない。
She has never missed even a single practice session up to now.
Point 5N2_L21_G5

5. ～さえ (Even... / As long as...)

Sentence Pattern
A. Lowest-level example (Even...)
Noun N (+ particle) + さえ
B. With a condition (As long as...)
Noun N (+ particle) + さえ + 〜ば / 〜なら / 〜たら

Meaning A: Gives the lowest-level example and implies that if even that is true, then higher-level cases naturally follow.
✓ The following clause does not express the speaker’s will.
Meaning B: When used with a condition, it means that satisfying this one minimum condition is enough and the other conditions no longer matter.

Example Sentences (6)
日本にほんに来きたばかりのときは、ひらがなさえ読よめなかった。
When I had just come to Japan, I couldn’t even read hiragana.
仕事しごとがとても忙いそがしいときは、会社かいしゃに泊とまることさえある。
When work is extremely busy, there are times when I even stay overnight at the company.
この料理りょうりは簡単かんたんだ。料理りょうりの苦手にがてなわたしでさえ失敗しっぱいしなかった。
This dish is easy to make. Even someone like me who is bad at cooking managed not to fail.
自分じぶんさえ良よければ、ほかの人ひとのことはどうでもいいのか。
Is it really okay as long as things are good for you, no matter what happens to everyone else?
雨あめさえ降ふらなければ、ハイキングに出でかけられますね。
As long as it doesn’t rain, we can go hiking, right?
年としをとっても体からださえ丈夫じょうぶなら、ほかに望のぞむことはない。
Even as I get older, as long as my body stays healthy, I ask for nothing else.
Point 6N2_L21_G6

6. ～てでも (Even if I have to... / By any means necessary...)

Sentence Pattern
Vて + でも

Meaning: Even if it means doing... / even by resorting to...
✓ Used when someone is willing to use an unusual, difficult, or fairly extreme means to achieve a goal.
✓ The following clause often expresses strong will, desire, determination, or necessity.
✓ The means does not have to be something one would “never normally do”; the focus is strong determination.

Example Sentences (3)
娘むすめが家いえに帰かえりたくないと言いったら、引ひっ張ぱってでも連つれて帰かえろう。
If my daughter says she doesn’t want to go home, I’ll take her home even if I have to drag her.
熱ねつがあるが、大切たいせつな約束やくそくがあるので、どんなことをしてでも行いかなければならない。
I have a fever, but because I have an important appointment, I have to go no matter what it takes.
2倍ばいの金額きんがくを払はらってでもそのコンサートのチケットが欲ほしい。
I want that concert ticket even if I have to pay twice the price.
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