Language/Yue-chinese/Grammar/Making-Comparisons

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Yue Chinese → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Making Comparisons

Welcome to this exciting lesson on making comparisons in Yue Chinese! Understanding how to compare objects, people, and ideas is crucial for effective communication, especially when trying to express preferences or describe differences. In Yue Chinese, we use comparative adjectives to convey these comparisons, such as "bigger," "smaller," and "more expensive."

In this lesson, we will explore:

• The structure of comparative adjectives in Yue Chinese

• Common comparative forms

• Examples to illustrate how to make comparisons

• Practical exercises to reinforce your learning

By the end of this lesson, you’ll be equipped with the knowledge to make comparisons confidently in Yue Chinese. So, let's dive in!

Understanding Comparative Adjectives

Comparative adjectives are used to compare two nouns, highlighting differences in a specific quality. In Yue Chinese, we typically use the word "比" (pronounced "bei") followed by the adjective and then the noun we are comparing.

For example, if we want to say "A is bigger than B," we would say "A 比 B 大" (A bei B da).

Structure

The structure for making comparisons in Yue Chinese is as follows:

• Subject + 比 + Object + Adjective

For instance:

• "这本书比那本书大。" (This book is bigger than that book.)

• "他比我高。" (He is taller than me.)

Common Comparative Adjectives

Here are some common comparative adjectives used in Yue Chinese:

• 大 (da) - big

• 小 (siu) - small

• 多 (do) - many/more

• 少 (siu) - few/less

• 贵 (gwei) - expensive

• 便宜 (pin4 ji) - cheap

• 快 (faai) - fast

• 慢 (maan) - slow

• 高 (go) - tall

• 矮 (aai) - short

Examples of Comparisons

To give you a better understanding, let’s look at some practical examples in a table format:

Yue Chinese	Pronunciation	English
这只猫比那只猫大。	Ze1 zi1 maau1 bei3 naa4 zi1 maau1 daai6.	This cat is bigger than that cat.
他比我小。	Ta1 bei3 ngo5 siu2.	He is smaller than me.
这个苹果比那个苹果贵。	Ze5 go3 ping4 gwo2 bei3 naa4 go3 ping4 gwo2 gwei3.	This apple is more expensive than that apple.
这条鱼比那条鱼便宜。	Ze5 tiu4 jyu4 bei3 naa4 tiu4 jyu4 pin2 ji4.	This fish is cheaper than that fish.
我的车比你的车快。	Wo3 ge3 ce1 bei3 nei5 ge3 ce1 faai3.	My car is faster than your car.
她比我矮。	Ta1 bei3 ngo5 aai2.	She is shorter than me.
这座山比那座山高。	Ze5 zo6 saan1 bei3 naa4 zo6 saan1 go1.	This mountain is taller than that mountain.
这本书比那本书好。	Ze5 bun2 syu1 bei3 naa4 bun2 syu1 hou2.	This book is better than that book.
这个城市比那个城市大。	Ze5 go3 sing4 si5 bei3 naa4 go3 sing4 si5 daai6.	This city is bigger than that city.
这条路比那条路慢。	Ze5 tiu4 lou6 bei3 naa4 tiu4 lou6 maan6.	This road is slower than that road.

Using "更" for Enhanced Comparisons

In addition to the basic comparative form, you can also use "更" (geng3) to emphasize a greater degree of difference. For instance:

• "他更高。" (He is taller.)

This structure changes slightly:

• Subject + 更 + Adjective

Example:

• "这个房子更贵。" (This house is more expensive.)

Here’s another set of examples with "更":

Yue Chinese	Pronunciation	English
她更聪明。	Ta1 geng3 cung1 ming4.	She is smarter.
这本书更有趣。	Ze5 bun2 syu1 geng3 jau5 ceoi3.	This book is more interesting.
这个工作更容易。	Ze5 go3 gung1 zok3 geng3 jung4 ji6.	This job is easier.
这条狗更大。	Ze5 tiu4 gau2 geng3 daai6.	This dog is bigger.
这个问题更复杂。	Ze5 go3 man6 tai4 geng3 fuk1 zaap6.	This problem is more complicated.

Practice Exercises

Now it's time to put your knowledge into practice! Below are some exercises for you to complete. Try to use the comparative structures you've learned.

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

Complete the sentences using the correct form of "比" and the adjectives provided.

1. 这辆车 ________ 那辆车快。 (快)

2. 这本书 ________ 那本书贵。 (贵)

3. 他 ________ 她矮。 (矮)

4. 这个城市 ________ 那个城市小。 (小)

5. 我的家 ________ 你的家大。 (大)

Exercise 2: Translate to Yue Chinese

Translate the following sentences into Yue Chinese.

1. This apple is more expensive than that apple.

2. My dog is smaller than your dog.

3. She is taller than me.

4. This book is better than that book.

5. This road is slower than that road.

Exercise 3: Create Your Own Comparisons

Write three sentences comparing two things using "比."

1. ____________________________________________________

2. ____________________________________________________

3. ____________________________________________________

Exercise 4: Enhanced Comparisons

Use "更" to make enhanced comparisons for the following statements.

1. This movie is interesting.

2. My friend is smart.

3. This project is complicated.

4. This restaurant is good.

5. This task is easy.

Solutions and Explanations

Let’s look at the solutions and explanations for the exercises:

Exercise 1 Solutions

1. 这辆车比那辆车快。

2. 这本书比那本书贵。

3. 他比她矮。

4. 这个城市比那个城市小。

5. 我的家比你的家大。

In each sentence, we used the structure Subject + 比 + Object + Adjective to form comparisons.

Exercise 2 Solutions

1. 这个苹果比那个苹果贵。

2. 我的狗比你的狗小。

3. 她比我高。

4. 这本书比那本书好。

5. 这条路比那条路慢。

Here, we translated each English sentence into the correct Yue Chinese format.

Exercise 3 Suggestions

1. Example: 这个房子比那个房子小。

2. Example: 这条鱼比那条鱼便宜。

3. Example: 这件衣服比那件衣服贵。

Feel free to come up with your own comparisons using the vocabulary you’ve learned!

Exercise 4 Solutions

1. 这部电影更有趣。

2. 我的朋友更聪明。

3. 这个项目更复杂。

4. 这家餐厅更好。

5. 这个任务更简单。

Here we emphasized the comparisons using "更" to indicate a greater degree of the adjective.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You've now learned how to make comparisons in Yue Chinese using comparative adjectives. Remember, the key structures to focus on are:

• Subject + 比 + Object + Adjective

• Subject + 更 + Adjective

Practice these structures as much as you can, and soon you'll be able to compare things effortlessly in Yue Chinese. Keep up the great work, and I look forward to our next lesson!

Table of Contents - Yue Chinese Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Greetings and Introductions

• Basic Greetings
• Introducing Yourself

  ---

Basic Sentence Structure

• Subject-Verb-Object
• Questions and Negations

  ---

Numbers and Time

• Numbers 1-100
• Telling Time

  ---

Pronouns and Possessives

• Personal Pronouns
• Possessive Pronouns

  ---

Family and Relationships

• Family Members
• Relationships

  ---

Adjectives and Adverbs

• Describing People and Things
• Describing Actions

  ---

Food and Dining

• Common Foods
• Eating Out

  ---

Prepositions and Conjunctions

• Location and Direction
• Connecting Ideas

  ---

Travel and Transportation

• Modes of Transportation
• Travel Essentials

  ---

Verb Tenses and Aspects

• Present Tense
• Past Tense

  ---

Yue Chinese Customs and Traditions

• Festivals and Holidays
• Etiquette and Manners

  ---

Shopping and Services

• At the Market
• Public Services

  ---

Comparatives and Superlatives

• Making Comparisons
• Expressing the Best and the Worst

  ---

Yue Chinese Art and Literature

• Traditional Art Forms
• Famous Yue Chinese Literature

Other Lessons

• Questions and Negations
• Sentence Pattern Changes
• How to Use Be
• Nouns
• Verbs Action and Stative
• Connecting Ideas
• How to Use Have
• Possibility and Certainty
• Present Tense
• Give your Opinion

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