How to make comparisons: Italian grammar lesson 133

Summary

Unlock the secrets of Italian comparisons with our guide! Learn to express “more than” and “less than” with ease, and master the nuances of più di and meno di to compare everything from nouns to adverbs. 🇮🇹✨

  • Comparative Basics: Use più for “more” and meno for “less” when comparing two things. Remember, it’s all about the adjective sandwiched between these words and the thing you’re comparing. 🥪
  • Noun Comparisons: When the second part of your comparison is a noun, like comparing Giulio to Greta, stick with di after your adjective. It’s like saying “less pleasant than” in Italian style. 🧍‍♂️🧍‍♀️
  • Pronoun Showdown: Even when you’re comparing to a pronoun, più di and meno di are your go-to phrases. It’s the Italian way to say “we are older than you” without breaking a sweat. 👥
  • Adverb Comparisons: Got an adverb in your comparison? No problemo! Use più di to say the weather is “better than before” and sound like a local. ☀️➡️🌧️
  • Preposizione Articolata: When an article enters the ring, di bulks up into a preposizione articolata. Match it with the noun’s number and gender to say “younger than Ms. Anna” like a pro. 💪
  • Verb Comparisons: If you’re comparing actions without a specific term, just add di before più. It’s the secret ingredient to say “costs more” and win the Italian grammar game. 🏆

My thoughts

What is il comparativo in Italian?

In Italian, we form the comparative using the words più (more) and meno (less).

Luca è più vecchio di Mario.

Luca is older than Mario.

Il mio cane è meno intelligente del tuo.

My dog is less intelligent than yours.

In this lesson, we are going to look at one of the possible ways of forming the comparative in Italian:

  • Più+ adjective + di+ second part of the comparison

When to use più di and meno di?

We use più + adjective + di when:

The second part of the comparison is a noun.

Giulio è meno simpatico di Greta.

Giulio is less pleasant than Greta.

The second part of the comparison is a pronoun.

Noi siamo più vecchi di te.

We are older than you.

The second part of the comparison is an adverb.

Adesso il tempo è più bello di prima.

Now the weather is better than before.

How to use più di and meno di?

Be careful: when the second part of the comparison starts with an article, the article joins onto di, which becomes a preposizione articolata (del, della, dello, dell’, dei, degli, delle).

Free Guide
How to Learn Languages Fast

This preposition will match the number and gender of the noun or pronoun it precedes. Have a look at the sentences below:

Mia madre è più giovane della signora Anna.

My mother is younger than Ms. Anna.

I miei occhiali sono più costosi dei tuoi.

My glasses are more expensive than yours.

I lupi sono meno pericolosi degli orsi?

Are wolves less dangerous than bears?

How to use di più with verbs alone?

If the comparison involves a verb and the term of comparison is not expressed in the sentence, you add di in front of più.

Examples:

Per saperne di più, clicca qui.

To learn more, click here.

Quel modello costa di più perché è nuovo.

That model costs more because it’s new.

Ad un asta, vince chi offre di più.

At an action, who bids more wins.

Practice with Quizlet

Here's a set of flashcards and quizzes to practice this grammar topic.

Il comparativo: examples

Well done! Now you know how and when to use the structure più + adjective + di correctly. Let’s have a look at some more examples of this form of comparative; note that you can use it with questions, positive and negative sentences, and with all verb tenses!

Secondo te, i girasoli sono più belli delle rose?

What do you think? Are sunflowers more beautiful than roses?

Pensavo che Paolo fosse meno alto di Marco, ma mi sbagliavo.

I thought Paolo was shorter than Marco, but I was wrong!

Non sei più forte di me!

You’re not stronger than me!

How to do comparisons in Italian?

In Italian, the comparative form is expressed by using the words "più" (more) or "meno" (less) when comparing two entities. This comparison can be made between people, places, objects, or even abstract nouns. The comparative form is used to express the degree of a quality or aspect that one entity possesses in relation to another. For example, "Maria è più alta di Luca" (Maria is taller than Luca) or "Il clima di Roma è meno freddo di quello di Berlino" (The climate of Rome is less cold than that of Berlin).

How do you use "di" in Italian?

The word "di" in Italian has various uses that are important to understand. 1: It can denote ownership, similar to the English possessive form. 2: It can be used to indicate someone's or something's origins. 3: It can express the topic of something. 4: It can indicate what something is made of. 5: "Di" is used to make comparisons. 6: It can be used to specify quantities. 7: "Di" is used to talk about a specific time of the day or year.

Follow me to fluency​

Create a free lifetime account to get access to all the free courses and other resources.

6 Responses

  1. “Ad un asta, vince chi offre di più.
    At an action, who bids more wins.”

    Nella frase inglese, dovrebbe esserci auction invece di action, vero?

Leave a Reply

Take a free lesson today!

Create a free lifetime account to get access to all the free lessons and other resources.

I’ll also deliver my free resources my best offers to your mailbox (opt out at any time).

What is avere intenzione di in Italian? In this post, we’re going to focus on how to say to intend in Italian, as in to have the intention to do...
How to use perché in Italian? Learn the grammar with simple rules and examples and practice with audio lessons.
What is the Italian compound gerund? The Italian present gerund is the equivalent of the English -ing, as in eating. You’ll spot it because it ends in -ando or in...
What is the meaning of servire in Italian? Servire is a regular verb of the third conjugation –ire. In this lesson, we will learn how to use it to express...
Try my courses for free​
Stefano

Log in

Reset password or get in touch.

Not a member yet? Join today!

How long to fluency?

Find out how long it will take you to master Italian!
Get on the right track in 3 minutes.

dolce vita logo

We're already friends!

Coming from Luca and Marina?
Here's a special deal for you!
Just tell me where I should send the coupon.

50% OFF
all language resources

We're already friends!

Coming from All Language Resources?
Here's a special deal for you!
Just tell me where I should send the coupon.

50% OFF
GRAB A COUPON NOW, REDEEM IT LATER
50% OFF

To receive free resources once a week together with my best offers, just tell me where to send everything. Opt out at any time.

Create a free lifetime account to get access to all the free lesson and other resources.