ぐらいなら

Would rather...than, Rather than, Better off

あの地域ちいきに引ひっ越こすくらいなら、死しんだ方ほうがマシだ。

I would rather die, than move to that neighborhood.

Explanation

「くらいなら」 means 'if it comes to that, I would rather ...'. The first part is something the speaker hates or finds shameful, and the second part is a choice that is painful but more acceptable.

「あいつに頭を下げるくらいなら、会社を辞めたほうがましだ」 (Rather than bow my head to that guy, I'd quit the company).

The ending often has 「〜ほうがましだ」 or 「〜ほうがいい」. Formation: dictionary form＋ぐらいなら.

Mixed up with

「〜よりは」: a neutral comparison of two things; B is better.

「〜くらいなら」: strongly emotional; the speaker finds the first option unbearable, almost 'I'd rather die'.

Examples

あの先輩せんぱいの下もとで働はたらくぐらいなら、一人ひとりで働はたらいた方ほうがいいと思おもうよ。
I think you would be better off working alone, than working under that senpai.
あんな奴やつに頼たのむぐらいなら、自分じぶんでやればよかった。
I should have done it myself, rather than asking a person like that to do it.
「やらずに後悔こうかいするくらいなら、いっそやってみなさいよ。」
'Rather than regret not doing it, try it!'
何十万なんじゅうまんもかけて直なおすくらいなら、もう少すこし出だして新あたらしい車くるまを買かった方ほうがいい。
Rather than spend hundreds of thousands of yen fixing it, you'd be better off paying a bit more and buying a new car.
「その仕事しごとは絶対ぜったいに嫌いやだ。それに戻もどるくらいなら死しんだほうがましだ。」
'I really hate that job. I would rather die than go back.'
「小ちいさなことに目めくじらを立たてる人ひとと一緒いっしょに生活せいかつするくらいならホームレスになったほうがましだ。」
'I would rather become homeless than live together with a person who nitpicks every little thing I do.'
Ａ：「愛あいＰｈｏｎｅの画面がめんの修理しゅうりは３万円まんえんからするよ。どうしようかな？」Ｂ：「とっても高たかいよね！修理しゅうりするくらいなら新あたらしいのを買かっちゃった方ほうがいいかなあ。」
A: 'My aiPhone screen repair cost starts at about 30000 yen! What should I do?' B: 'Wha, that's super expensive! You would be better off buying a new one rather than repairing it.'
失恋しつれんしてこんなに悲かなしい気持きもちになるくらいなら、最初さいしょから恋こいなんかをしなければよかった…。
If a broken heart was going to cause this much sadness, I would have been better off without something like love in the first place.
そのコートを捨すてるくらいなら、私わたしに譲ゆずってくれない？リメイクして着きたいからさ。
Rather than throwing away that coat, why don't you give it to me? I want to alter it and then wear it.
その仕事しごとを嫌々いやいやするくらいなら、とっとと転職てんしょくした方ほうが長期的ちょうきてきにみていいんじゃない？
Rather than doing that job grudgingly, wouldn't it be better in the long run to just change jobs right away?
頼たよれない友達ともだちを何人なんにんも持もつくらいなら、数人すうにんでも頼たよれる友達ともだちを作つくる方ほうが意味いみがあると思おもいます。
I think that you would be better off making even just a few reliable friends, than having lots of unreliable ones.
あの息いきも吸すえないほどの満員まんいん電車でんしゃに乗のるくらいなら、あえて一時間いちじかんくらい早はやく家いえを出でた方ほうがマシだ。
Rather than riding on a train that is so packed that I cannot even breathe, I would rather deliberately leave home about an hour early.
Ａ：「彼かれに助たすけを求もとめたらどう？」Ｂ：「彼かれに助たすけを求もとめるくらいなら、むしろピラニアだらけの池いけを泳およいだほうがましだぞ。」
A: 'What about asking him for help?' B: 'I would rather swim through a pond full of piranha than ask him for help.'
え、前まえ使つかってたパソコン捨すてちゃったの？捨すてるくらいなら俺おれが買かったのに。
What, you threw away your old computer? If you were going to throw it out, I'd have bought it.

Explanation

「あいつに頭を下げるくらいなら、会社を辞めたほうがましだ」 (Rather than bow my head to that guy, I'd quit the company).

The ending often has 「〜ほうがましだ」 or 「〜ほうがいい」. Formation: dictionary form＋ぐらいなら.

Examples

あの先輩せんぱいの下もとで働はたらくぐらいなら、一人ひとりで働はたらいた方ほうがいいと思おもうよ。
I think you would be better off working alone, than working under that senpai.
あんな奴やつに頼たのむぐらいなら、自分じぶんでやればよかった。
I should have done it myself, rather than asking a person like that to do it.
「やらずに後悔こうかいするくらいなら、いっそやってみなさいよ。」
'Rather than regret not doing it, try it!'
何十万なんじゅうまんもかけて直なおすくらいなら、もう少すこし出だして新あたらしい車くるまを買かった方ほうがいい。
Rather than spend hundreds of thousands of yen fixing it, you'd be better off paying a bit more and buying a new car.
「その仕事しごとは絶対ぜったいに嫌いやだ。それに戻もどるくらいなら死しんだほうがましだ。」
'I really hate that job. I would rather die than go back.'
「小ちいさなことに目めくじらを立たてる人ひとと一緒いっしょに生活せいかつするくらいならホームレスになったほうがましだ。」
'I would rather become homeless than live together with a person who nitpicks every little thing I do.'
Ａ：「愛あいＰｈｏｎｅの画面がめんの修理しゅうりは３万円まんえんからするよ。どうしようかな？」Ｂ：「とっても高たかいよね！修理しゅうりするくらいなら新あたらしいのを買かっちゃった方ほうがいいかなあ。」
A: 'My aiPhone screen repair cost starts at about 30000 yen! What should I do?' B: 'Wha, that's super expensive! You would be better off buying a new one rather than repairing it.'
失恋しつれんしてこんなに悲かなしい気持きもちになるくらいなら、最初さいしょから恋こいなんかをしなければよかった…。
If a broken heart was going to cause this much sadness, I would have been better off without something like love in the first place.
そのコートを捨すてるくらいなら、私わたしに譲ゆずってくれない？リメイクして着きたいからさ。
Rather than throwing away that coat, why don't you give it to me? I want to alter it and then wear it.
その仕事しごとを嫌々いやいやするくらいなら、とっとと転職てんしょくした方ほうが長期的ちょうきてきにみていいんじゃない？
Rather than doing that job grudgingly, wouldn't it be better in the long run to just change jobs right away?
頼たよれない友達ともだちを何人なんにんも持もつくらいなら、数人すうにんでも頼たよれる友達ともだちを作つくる方ほうが意味いみがあると思おもいます。
I think that you would be better off making even just a few reliable friends, than having lots of unreliable ones.
あの息いきも吸すえないほどの満員まんいん電車でんしゃに乗のるくらいなら、あえて一時間いちじかんくらい早はやく家いえを出でた方ほうがマシだ。
Rather than riding on a train that is so packed that I cannot even breathe, I would rather deliberately leave home about an hour early.
Ａ：「彼かれに助たすけを求もとめたらどう？」Ｂ：「彼かれに助たすけを求もとめるくらいなら、むしろピラニアだらけの池いけを泳およいだほうがましだぞ。」
A: 'What about asking him for help?' B: 'I would rather swim through a pond full of piranha than ask him for help.'
え、前まえ使つかってたパソコン捨すてちゃったの？捨すてるくらいなら俺おれが買かったのに。
What, you threw away your old computer? If you were going to throw it out, I'd have bought it.

ぐらいなら

Explanation

Mixed up with

Examples

ぐらいなら

Explanation

Mixed up with

Examples

Tested once in past papers