nekā / par in Comparisons
Than: Nekā and Par
After a comparative, say than in one of two ways: nekā with no change to the next word, or par + the accusative (the dative in the plural): Rīga ir lielāka nekā Jelgava = Rīga ir lielāka par Jelgavu.
How It Works
1. Par + accusative. Use par to compare two people or things directly: Anna ir vecāka par Jāni (Anna is older than Jānis). With pronouns: par mani, par tevi, par viņu. In the plural, par takes the dative, like other prepositions: par mums, par citām pilsētām (than other towns).
2. Nekā + the same case. Nekā works in every comparison, including those where par cannot be used:
- With a subject: Anna ir vecāka nekā Jānis.
- With time and place words: Šodien ir siltāk nekā vakar. Rīgā ir dārgāk nekā laukos.
- When the compared word is not the subject, it keeps its case: Mums ir vairāk laika nekā jums. (We have more time than you do.) Jums is dative, just as in jums ir laiks.
3. Amounts. With numbers, use nekā: vairāk nekā simts cilvēku (more than a hundred people), mazāk nekā mēnesis (less than a month).
4. Nekā or kā? In a positive statement, standard Latvian uses nekā: Tu gatavo labāk nekā es. Kā after a comparative is used when the sentence is negative: Es negatavoju labāk kā tu. (I don't cook better than you.) To say as ... as, use tikpat ... kā.
Examples (6)
- Rīga ir lielāka nekā Jelgava.
Riga is bigger than Jelgava.
After nekā, Jelgava stays in the nominative.
- Rīga ir lielāka par Jelgavu.
Riga is bigger than Jelgava.
After par, Jelgava takes the accusative: Jelgavu.
- Mans brālis ir vecāks par mani.
My brother is older than me.
Par takes the accusative pronoun mani.
- Vilciens ir ātrāks nekā autobuss.
The train is faster than the bus.
- Man patīk tēja vairāk nekā kafija.
I like tea more than coffee.
Kafija stays nominative, just as in Man patīk kafija.
- Mums ir vairāk laika nekā jums.
We have more time than you do.
Jums keeps the dative of jums ir laiks. Par could not be used here.
Common Mistakes
Leaving the noun in the nominative after par.
Rīga ir lielāka par Jelgava.Rīga ir lielāka par Jelgavu.Par is a preposition and takes the accusative in the singular: Jelgava → Jelgavu. With nekā, the nominative is right: nekā Jelgava.
Using the accusative after nekā.
Viņš ir garāks nekā mani.Viņš ir garāks nekā es.Nekā does not change the case, so the pronoun stays es. With par it would be par mani.
Using kā instead of nekā in a positive comparison.
Šodien ir siltāk kā vakar.Šodien ir siltāk nekā vakar.Kā after a comparative is often heard in speech, but standard Latvian uses nekā in positive sentences. Kā is used when the sentence is negative: nav siltāk kā vakar.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Than uses nekā or par.
Related Patterns
- Plural Nouns After Prepositions
Why par takes the dative in the plural: par mums, par citām pilsētām.
Level 2 - mani / tevi / viņuObject Pronouns
The accusative pronouns used after par: par mani, par tevi.
Level 1 - tikpat ... kā / tāds pats kāAs ... as and the Same as
Equal comparisons use kā: tikpat liels kā (as big as).
Level 3 - Superlative vis- and -ākaisThe Most: Vis- and -ākais
Going from bigger than to the biggest.
Level 3
Words in This Pattern
Practice nekā / par in Comparisons in Bubblegum
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