How to Say ‘How long does it take?’ in Japanese
どれくらいかかりますか。
dore kurai kakari masu ka
[doh-reh koo-rah-ee kah-kah-ree mahss ka]
🇯🇵 In Japan: In a caregiving interview, this usually means commute time to the workplace or to a client's home. A local answer is often brief and practical, like [30分くらいです。]
Phrase Breakdown
どれ
dore
[doh-reh]
how much / how long
Question word asking about amount or duration.
家からどれくらいかかりますか。
How long does it take from your home?
くらい
kurai
[koo-rah-ee]
about / approximately
Used with question words to ask for an approximate amount or duration.
どれくらいかかりますか。
How long does it take?
かかり
kakari
[kah-kah-ree]
takes (time/money)
Indicates that time or money is required.
ここまでどれくらいかかりますか。
How long does it take to get here?
ます
masu
[mahss]
polite verb ending
Makes the verb polite and appropriate for interviews.
家から一時間かかります。
It takes one hour from my home.
か
ka
[ka]
question marker
Makes the sentence a polite question.
どれくらいかかりますか。
How long does it take?
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