Comparatives: Bigger, Better…

What you’ll learn

Compare two people or things using a comparative adjective and than.

ប្រៀបធៀបមនុស្ស ឬវត្ថុពីរ ដោយប្រើគុណនាមប្រៀបធៀប និង than។

Meaning and use

A comparative adjective shows a difference between two people or things. Many short adjectives add -er; longer adjectives often use more. Use than to introduce the second person or thing: This bag is bigger than that one. Some spellings change, and some forms are irregular. Use one comparative marker, not both more and -er. These are useful starter patterns; a dictionary can help with adjectives that allow more than one form.

គុណនាមប្រៀបធៀបបង្ហាញភាពខុសគ្នារវាងមនុស្ស ឬវត្ថុពីរ។ គុណនាមខ្លីជាច្រើនបន្ថែម -er ហើយគុណនាមវែងជាច្រើនប្រើ more។ ប្រើ than ដើម្បីភ្ជាប់អ្វីដែលយើងប្រៀបធៀបជាមួយ។ កុំប្រើ more និង -er ព្រមគ្នាជាមួយគុណនាមតែមួយ។

Grammar patterns

Pattern	Example or form
Many short adjectives	small → smaller; tall → taller
Common spelling changes	big → bigger; happy → happier
Many longer adjectives	interesting → more interesting
Irregular forms	good → better; bad → worse
Comparative + than	This bag is bigger than that bag.

Examples

1. My bag is smaller than yours.

   កាបូបរបស់ខ្ញុំតូចជាងរបស់អ្នក។

2. Dara is taller than his brother.

   ដារ៉ាខ្ពស់ជាងបងប្រុស ឬប្អូនប្រុសរបស់គាត់។

3. This lesson is more interesting than that one.

   មេរៀននេះគួរឱ្យចាប់អារម្មណ៍ជាងមេរៀននោះ។

4. This answer is better than my first answer.

   ចម្លើយនេះល្អជាងចម្លើយដំបូងរបស់ខ្ញុំ។

Everyday conversation

Dara: Which bag do you like?

Maly: This one. It is smaller than that one.

Dara: Is it cheaper too?

Maly: Yes, it is.

Common mistakes

Instead of	Use	Why
This bag is more bigger.	This bag is bigger.	Use bigger, not more bigger.
She is taller then me.	She is taller than me.	Use than for comparisons; then usually relates to time or sequence.

Practice

Try these questions before opening the answers. Write or say each answer.

សាកល្បងឆ្លើយសំណួរទាំងនេះជាមុនសិន មុននឹងបើកមើលចម្លើយ។ អ្នកអាចសរសេរ ឬនិយាយចម្លើយរបស់អ្នក។

1. Write the comparative: big.
2. Complete: This answer is ___ than that one. (good)
3. Complete: This book is ___ interesting than that one.
4. Complete: Dara is taller ___ Maly.

Answers and explanations

Show answers / បង្ហាញចម្លើយ

1. bigger

   Big doubles g before -er.

2. better

   Good has the irregular comparative better.

3. more

   Use more with interesting.

4. than

   Than introduces the second person in this comparison.

Quick recap

• Use a comparative to compare two people or things.
• Use than before the second item when it is stated.
• Learn spelling changes and irregular forms; avoid more bigger.