How to Say ‘How long; how much (approx.)’ in Japanese
どのくらい
dono kurai
[doh-noh koo-rai]
💬 Usage Tip: [どのくらい] asks “about how much/how long” (approximate).
🇯🇵 In Japan: In Japan, estimates are often given in minutes (walking time) rather than distance.
Phrase Breakdown
どの
dono
[doh-noh]
which / what kind of
In patterns like どのくらい, どの works with くらい to mean “how much/how long.” By itself it means “which/what.”
駅までどのくらいかかりますか。
How long does it take to the station?
くらい
kurai
[koo-rai]
about / approximately / how long
Means “about/approximately.” With どのくらい it means “how long/how much.” With time: ５分くらい (about 5 minutes).
駅まで五分くらいです。
It’s about five minutes to the station.
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