毎First sentences
Every, and about
Say how often something happens, and be vague about when or how much.
Every
毎 before, ごとに after
I run every day.
毎 attaches to the front of short time words.
I run every three days.
ごとに follows a number and a time, or other nouns.
Using 毎
毎 goes with these words
It works with short time words only, and never with a number in front.
I read the newspaper every morning.
I see a movie every week.
I go to Kyoto every year.
Using ごとに
ごとに is more flexible
The bus comes every ten minutes.
It stops at every station.
Each person thinks differently.
Skipping
おきに counts the gap
I run every other day.
One day skipped between runs.
I run every two days.
The same schedule: ごとに counts from run to run.
A bus comes every ten minutes.
For something that happens in a moment, ごとに means the same here.
About
ごろ for when, くらい for how much
I'll come around three o'clock.
ごろ goes with a point in time.
It takes about three hours.
くらい goes with an amount. ぐらい is the same word.
Telling them apart
Point in time, or length of time?
ごろ needs a moment you could mark on a calendar or clock: 五月ごろ, “around May”. くらい needs a quantity: five days, 100 yen, three people. It can also follow これ or どの to ask about extent: どのくらいかかりますか, “about how long does it take?”
Your turn
ごろ or くらい?
I get up around seven.
Check yourself
How often does it happen?
Skipping
How often does it happen?
Say it yourself
Making plans
A friend asks when to meet tomorrow. You're thinking roughly 2 o'clock, and you expect to be free for about an hour.
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