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TOPIK I · LEVEL 2

-보다

보다 attaches to the thing you measure against, like English "than": X is more (or less) than the noun with 보다.

조사Particles

Han: Following English word order, learners put 보다 on the bigger thing. 보다 marks the standard you compare against, so to say Seoul is bigger, 보다 goes on 부산.

Examples

제 동생은 저보다 키가 커요.My younger brother is taller than me.
저는 커피보다 차를 더 좋아해요.I like tea more than coffee.
오늘은 어제보다 더 추워요.Today is colder than yesterday.
출퇴근 시간에는 버스보다 지하철이 더 빨라요.At rush hour, the subway is faster than the bus.

Don’t mix up

-보다vsN + 만큼만큼 means the two are equal ("as … as"); 보다 means one is more or less: 동생이 저만큼 커요 = as tall as me.
-보다vsN 중에서 제일/가장제일/가장 picks the top one out of a group of three or more; 보다 compares two things: 가족 중에서 동생이 제일 커요.

How to build it

N+보다 (+ 더/덜)+A/V

어제 → 어제보다 더 추워요

  1. Put 보다 on the standard of comparison, not on the winner. The noun with 이/가 or 은/는 is the one that has more of the quality. Word order is flexible: 동생이 저보다 커요 = 저보다 동생이 커요.
  2. 더 (more) is optional because 보다 already shows comparison, but it is very common in speech. Use 덜 for "less": 어제보다 덜 추워요.
  3. 보다 attaches to nouns, written without a space. To compare actions, turn the verb into a noun first: V + 는 것보다 (집에서 쉬는 것보다).

Classic mistake

Wrong: 서울보다 부산이 더 커요. (meaning: Seoul is bigger)

Right: 부산보다 서울이 더 커요.

Following English word order, learners put 보다 on the bigger thing. 보다 marks the standard you compare against, so to say Seoul is bigger, 보다 goes on 부산.

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More level 2 grammar

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