больш / менш + Adjective

Comparatives with Больш and Менш

Level 3Sounds Like bolʹš í menš + prymetník

Put больш (more) or менш (less) before an adjective: больш цікавы фільм (a more interesting film), менш дарагі гатэль (a less expensive hotel).

How It Works

1. The pattern. Больш or менш + the plain adjective:

  • больш цікавы (more interesting)
  • больш зручная (more convenient)
  • менш дарагі (less expensive)
  • менш складаная (less difficult)

2. Only the adjective changes. Больш and менш stay the same. The adjective agrees with its noun in gender, number and case: Мы шукаем больш зручную кватэру (We are looking for a more convenient flat), Яна стала больш упэўненай (She has become more confident).

3. When to use it. For more, you can often choose between this and the one-word comparative: больш цікавы and цікавейшы mean the same. The two-word form is common in writing and is the natural choice for long adjectives and adjectives with no -ейшы form. For less, it is the only option: менш цікавы.

4. Adding than. Use чым with a comma: Новая праграма больш зручная, чым старая.

5. Variants. You will also meet болей and меней. They mean the same as больш and менш and sound a little more colloquial or poetic.

Tip: never put больш in front of a word that is already a comparative. Больш цікавейшы and больш лепшы are mistakes.

Examples (6)

  1. Гэта больш цікавы фільм.

    This is a more interesting film.

  2. Мы шукаем менш дарагі гатэль.

    We are looking for a less expensive hotel.

  3. Новая праграма больш зручная, чым старая.

    The new program is more convenient than the old one.

    Зручная agrees with the feminine праграма; чым adds the comparison.

  4. Беларуская мова для мяне менш складаная, чым я думаў.

    Belarusian is less difficult for me than I thought.

  5. Яна стала больш упэўненай у сабе.

    She has become more confident.

    After стала the adjective is in the instrumental, but больш does not change.

  6. Давай знойдзем менш шумнае месца.

    Let's find a less noisy place.

    Шумнае agrees with the neuter месца.

Common Mistakes

  • Combining больш with a one-word comparative.

    Гэта больш цікавейшы фільм.
    Гэта больш цікавы фільм.

    Цікавейшы already means more interesting. Use больш with the plain adjective, or use цікавейшы alone.

  • Using the Russian word больше.

    Гэта больше цікавы фільм.
    Гэта больш цікавы фільм.

    The Belarusian word is больш (or болей). Больше is Russian.

  • Leaving the adjective in the masculine for a feminine noun.

    Гэта больш зручны кватэра.
    Гэта больш зручная кватэра.

    Больш never changes, but the adjective must agree with кватэра, which is feminine.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

больш / менш + AdjectiveLevel 3Comparatives with Больш and Менш

Learn This First

Analytic comparatives follow -ейшы.

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Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

большменш