daha

Comparative with Daha

Level 2

The particle daha is the standard way to form the comparative degree in Azerbaijani. It is placed directly before an adjective or adverb to indicate a higher degree of a quality.

How It Works

The comparative degree in Azerbaijani is straightforward but requires two main components for a full sentence:

1. The Particle 'daha': This word is invariable, meaning it never changes its form regardless of the words around it. It always precedes the adjective (e.g., daha böyük - bigger) or adverb (e.g., daha tez - faster).

2. The Ablative Case (-dan/-dən): When you want to say 'than X', the 'X' must take the ablative case suffix. For example, 'than me' becomes məndən.

Syntactic Note: In natural speech, daha is optional and often omitted when the object of comparison is already marked with the ablative case. The suffix itself carries the comparative meaning. For example, Bu ondan yaxşıdır (This is better than that) is perfectly natural without daha.

Register: This pattern is used across all levels of speech, from very formal writing to daily conversation. While a suffix -raq/-rək exists for comparison, it is rarely used in modern standard Azerbaijani compared to daha.

Examples (4)

  1. Bu ev daha böyükdür.

    This house is bigger.

    Word by Word: This house more big-is.

    Here, 'daha' modifies the adjective 'böyük' (big) to mean 'bigger'.

  2. Mən səndən daha sürətli qaçıram.

    I run faster than you.

    Word by Word: I you-from more fast run-I.

    The person being compared (sən) takes the ablative suffix '-dən' to mean 'than you'.

  3. Zəhmət olmasa, daha yavaş danışın.

    Please speak more slowly.

    Word by Word: Trouble let-it-be-not, more slow speak.

    In this request, 'daha' is used with an adverb to ask for a change in the degree of action.

  4. Bu kitab o birindən daha maraqlıdır.

    This book is more interesting than the other one.

    Word by Word: This book that one-from more interesting-is.

    A standard comparison between two objects using the ablative case and 'daha'.

Common Mistakes

  • Omitting the ablative case on the object of comparison.

    Mən sən daha güclüyəm.
    Mən səndən daha güclüyəm.

    You cannot just say 'I you more strong'. You must mark 'you' with the ablative suffix (-dan/-dən) to function as 'than you'.

  • Choosing the comparative where the best in the group is meant.

    Different MeaningBu sinifdə daha yaxşı tələbə Əlidir.
    Bu sinifdə ən yaxşı tələbə Əlidir.

    'Bu sinifdə daha yaxşı tələbə Əlidir' is a good sentence: 'The better student in this class is Ali', which compares him with someone. Use 'ən' to say he is the best in the whole group.

How It Connects

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dahaLevel 2Comparative with Daha

Learn This First

To use 'daha' for comparisons, you need to understand how adjectives function as predicates in Azerbaijani and where they typically appear in a sentence. Since 'daha' modifies adjectives or adverbs to create a comparative degree, familiarity with basic sentence structure and nominal predicates is essential.

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daha