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Grammar detail: ころ vs ごろ

ころ vs ごろ  when vs approximately when
211 words
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The words ころ and ごろ are both used to things in relation to time, however they convey different meanings. The contexts in which they are used can help us to determine which word to use when.
ころ is typically used to describe how something was during a period of time, or to refer to an era or period in which something happened.
For example:
かのじょ
彼女
わか
ころ
うつく
しかった

She was beautiful in her time.
どものころ
スポーツ
だいす
大好
でした
I loved sport when I was a child.
そのころ
はは
いま
わたし
より
わか
かった

At that time, my mother was younger than I am now.
It can also be used to indicate an unspecified time that something did or will occur.
そろそろタクシー
ころです
It is about the time for the taxi to arrive.
ごろ is typically used with a particular point in time.
For example:
わたし
ごじ
5時
ごろここ
いた

I arrived here about five o'clock.
ろくじ
六時
ごろばんごはん
べましょう

Let's have dinner at around six o'clock.
しがつ
4月
ごろ
いそが
しく
なります
It gets busy around April.
きんようび
金曜日
ごろある
おも
います

I think we'll have some in around Friday.
ころ and ごろ are actually the same word, as can be seen from the fact that they are both written with the same kanji, 頃. ごろ is the 'voiced' version (voicing refers to the idea that a sound is somewhat hardened, and ご is a hardened version of こ). When the second part of a compound word is voiced in Japanese, it tends to tie the word more closely to what it follows. In the case of ころ / ごろ, the voiced version is tied to the time it follows and means 'approximately ~'. When it is not voiced, the two words remain separate, and mean 'during the period when ~'.
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Kanji used in this grammar

ころ time   
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ヒ   かれ he   
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ジョ   ニョ   ニョウ   woman; female   おんな woman   め woman   
ジャク   ニャク   わか young   もしくは or   
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ビ   うつくしい beautiful   
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シ   ス   こ child   
キョウ   ク   そなえる to make an offering   とも servant, attendant   
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ダイ   タイ   おおきい big   おおいに very much   おお-    
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コウ   この    す to like   
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ボ   はは mother   
コン   キン   いま now   
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シ   わたくし    わたし I, myself   
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ライ   く to come   きた to be forthcoming   きた to induce   
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ジ   とき time, occasion   
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チャク   ジャク   つ to arrive   つける to attach   き to wear   きせる to make wear   
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ロク   むっ six   む    むい    む    
ショク   ジキ    food   たべる to eat   く to eat   
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ガツ   ゲツ   つき month; moon   
ボウ   いそがしい busy   
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キン   コン   かね gold; money   
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ヨウ    day of the week   
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ニチ   ジツ   sun; day   ひ    -か    
シ   おも to think   
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