23. Korean Grammar: 보다, 더, 덜 (Comparisons)

 

Korean Grammar: 보다, 더, 덜 (Comparisons)

In this post, we’ll learn how to make comparisons in Korean using 보다, 더, and 덜. These are essential words to compare people, things, and situations. Let’s break it down step by step!

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1. What is 보다?

• 보다 means “than” in English.
• It’s used to compare two things, and it comes after the thing you are comparing to.

Structure:

A 보다 B 더 + adjective/verb
(B is more [adjective/verb] than A.)

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Examples of 보다:

1. 사과보다 바나나가 더 달아요.
   (Bananas are sweeter than apples.)
2. 버스보다 지하철이 더 빨라요.
   (The subway is faster than the bus.)
3. 여름보다 겨울을 더 좋아해요.
   (I like winter more than summer.)
4. 이 신발이 저 신발보다 더 편해요.
   (These shoes are more comfortable than those shoes.)
5. 한국어보다 영어가 더 쉬워요.
   (English is easier than Korean.)

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2. What is 더?

• 더 means “more”.
• You can use 더 by itself to emphasize something without directly comparing.

Examples of 더:

1. 물을 더 마시세요.
   (Please drink more water.)
2. 더 크게 말해 주세요.
   (Please speak louder.)
3. 오늘은 어제보다 더 추워요.
   (Today is colder than yesterday.)
4. 시간이 더 필요해요.
   (I need more time.)
5. 이 영화가 더 재미있어요.
   (This movie is more interesting.)

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3. What is 덜?

• 덜 means “less”.
• It’s the opposite of 더 and is used to express less of something.

Examples of 덜:

1. 설탕을 덜 넣으세요.
   (Put in less sugar.)
2. 이 문제는 덜 어려워요.
   (This problem is less difficult.)
3. 덜 매운 음식을 주세요.
   (Please give me less spicy food.)
4. 이번 주는 지난 주보다 덜 바빴어요.
   (This week was less busy than last week.)
5. 커피를 덜 마시고 싶어요.
   (I want to drink less coffee.)

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4. Using 보다 with 더 and 덜 Together

When you want to say "more than" or "less than", you combine 보다 with 더 or 덜.

Structure:

• A보다 B가 더 [adjective/verb]. (B is more [adjective] than A.)
• A보다 B가 덜 [adjective/verb]. (B is less [adjective] than A.)

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Examples of 보다 + 더/덜:

1. 커피보다 차가 더 뜨거워요.
   (Tea is hotter than coffee.)
2. 고기보다 채소가 덜 비싸요.
   (Vegetables are less expensive than meat.)
3. 지난주보다 이번 주가 더 재미있었어요.
   (This week was more fun than last week.)
4. 택시보다 버스가 덜 편해요.
   (The bus is less comfortable than a taxi.)
5. 운동보다 휴식이 더 필요해요.
   (I need rest more than exercise.)

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5. Sentence Structure Tips

• 보다 always follows the item you are comparing from.
  • "사과보다 바나나" (Banana compared to apple)
• 더 and 덜 come right before the adjective or verb.
  • "더 맛있어요" (more delicious), "덜 비싸요" (less expensive)

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6. Vocabulary from Examples

Korean English

사과	Apple
바나나	Banana
버스	Bus
지하철	Subway
여름	Summer
겨울	Winter
신발	Shoes
물	Water
설탕	Sugar
채소	Vegetables
고기	Meat
택시	Taxi
버스	Bus
운동	Exercise
휴식	Rest

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7. Quick Quiz (Test Yourself!)

1️⃣ Fill in the blanks with 보다, 더, or 덜:

1. 이 치마가 저 치마___ 더 예뻐요. (This skirt is prettier than that one.)
2. 저는 고기___ 채소를 더 좋아해요. (I like vegetables more than meat.)
3. 오늘은 어제___ 덜 추워요. (Today is less cold than yesterday.)
4. 택시가 버스___ 더 빨라요. (The taxi is faster than the bus.)
5. 이 커피가 저 커피보다 ___ 뜨거워요. (This coffee is hotter than that one.)

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2️⃣ Choose the correct translation:

1. 과일보다 케이크가 더 달아요.
   • a) Cake is sweeter than fruit.
   • b) Fruit is sweeter than cake.
2. 버스가 지하철보다 덜 빨라요.
   • a) The bus is slower than the subway.
   • b) The subway is slower than the bus.

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3️⃣ Translate into Korean:

1. This bag is cheaper than that bag.
2. I need more water.
3. Today is less busy than yesterday.

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Comment your answers below and let’s practice together! 😊📚