比Comparing and measuring
Comparing
Japanese adjectives don't change to compare. You mark the two sides with ほう and より instead.
The pattern
A のほうが B より…
The winner
東京のほうがToukyou no hou gaThe Tokyo side…
Compared with
大阪より大きいです。Oosaka yori ookii desu.…is bigger than Osaka.
Asking and answering
Which of two?
Which do you prefer, dogs or cats?
I prefer dogs.
When the other side is clear, you can leave out より.
Which pattern?
New information, or already the topic
The train is faster than the bus.
Answering “which?”, or introducing a comparison.
The train is faster than the bus.
You're already talking about the train.
Comparing actions
ほう and より follow verbs too
Walking is faster than taking the bus.
I prefer winter to summer.
The order can flip.
It would have been better to come by taxi.
A past verb can suggest what would've been better.
The most
一番 goes before the adjective
Mt. Fuji is the tallest mountain in Japan.
I'm the tallest in the class.
Of all fruits, what do you like best?
Set the group with の中で.
A related use
より can also mark a point of reference
East of here is the sea.
Let's leave before nine.
We'll begin the meeting at three.
In formal Japanese, より can act like から.
Check yourself
Which is bigger, faster or better?
Your turn
ほう or より?
I like fish more than meat.
Say it yourself
Picking a city
Someone asks whether you prefer Tokyo or Kyoto, and which Japanese city you like most. You prefer Kyoto over Tokyo, and like Kyoto best.
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