Can't remember a sentence structure in japanese...

[Tyrick]

Hello. I just found this website and am so happy!!! Since I'm new, I'll introduce myself first. My name is Joe, and I've been studying japanese in the U.S. for around 6 months. Thanks for having me, and I look forward to being part of this community! =)

Anyway, I remember coming across a sentence once that was translated as something like:

"I will be able to speak japanese" or "I will become able to speak japanese"...but anyway, I remember the grammar used something like

～ぐらい なる or ～ぐらいに なる

and I don't remember the verb form either... maybe:

話せるぐらい(に) なる or 話せてぐらい(に） なる。。。 (if the に particle is used at all in the case...) but anyway...I think this is a really cool thing to know, and if someone has any clue what grammar rule I am talking about, please tell me... Thanks a bunch...

 

[Toritoribe]

"The dictionary form of verbs/The adnominal form of adjectives/Noun + くらい/ぐらいになる" is a structure to mean "to reach/become a certain level," thus, 話せるくらい/ぐらいになる has a nuance of "to reach/become a certain level to be able to speak." This structure is often used with an adverb/adverbial phrase to show where the level is, e.g., 流暢[りゅうちょう]に話せるくらい; "a level to be able to speak fruently," 十分[じゅうぶん]話せるくらい; "a good enough level to be able to speak," 何とか話せるくらい; "a level somehow to be able to speak," or like that.

日本語が話せるようになる would be more common for "I will be/become able to speak Japanese." ("The dictionary form of verbs + ようになる" means "to become a state.")

 

[Tyrick]

Perfect! Thank you for such a detailed response!!