Than: quam

Level 4

Put the same case after quam, or put the second thing alone in the ablative.

How It Works

With quamAblative alone
Pater altior est quam filius.Pater altior est filio.
Habeo librum maiorem quam tuum.Habeo librum maiorem tuo.

Both sentences in each row mean the same thing. In the first row, filius is nominative because pater is. In the second row, tuum is accusative because librum is.

The ablative alone works only when the first thing is a nominative or an accusative. In other cases, quam and the matching case are needed.

The ablative way is shorter, and both ways are common.

Without a comparative, quam means how, as in quam bonus (how good).

Examples (5)

  1. Pater altior est quam filius.

    The father is taller than the son.

    Filius is nominative, like pater.

  2. Pater altior est filio.

    The father is taller than the son.

    Filio is the ablative and replaces quam filius.

  3. Habeo librum maiorem quam tuum.

    I have a bigger book than yours.

    Tuum is accusative, like librum.

  4. Nonne anima plus est quam esca, et corpus plus quam vestimentum?

    Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

    From Matthew 6:25. Quam esca and quam vestimentum follow plus.

  5. Lux velocior est sono.

    Light is faster than sound.

    Sono is the ablative of comparison.

Common Mistakes

  • Putting the wrong case after quam.

    Pater altior est quam filio.
    Pater altior est quam filius.

    Quam needs the same case as pater, which is nominative: filius. The ablative filio is used alone, without quam.

How It Connects

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

Than: quamLevel 4

Learn This First

Than is said with quam or with the ablative.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

quam