กว่า
More than
In these examples, กว่า follows the word expressing the quality, speed, or amount being compared. It gives comparisons such as better, faster, or more than.
How It Works
Comparing a Quality:
กว่า follows the quality being compared in the examples here. The standard of comparison can follow it. For example, ใหญ่ (big) + กว่า gives ใหญ่กว่า, meaning bigger. The sentence เขาตัวสูงกว่าฉัน compares his height with mine.
Comparing an Action or Amount:
เขาวิ่งเร็วกว่า compares running speed. ฉันมีเงินมากกว่าคุณ compares amounts of money. In a preference construction, ชอบ A มากกว่า B expresses liking A more than B.
A Standard Supplied by Context:
อันนี้ดีกว่า means this one is better. The other choice can be understood from the situation, so it need not be repeated after กว่า. Read the whole context to identify what is being compared.
Comparison and Change:
The linked constructions with ขึ้น and ลง describe changes in particular adjective phrases. A comparison with กว่า can also use an earlier state as its standard. สูงกว่าเดิม makes that earlier standard explicit: taller than before. เดิม is one way to name it; it is not a required addition to every comparison across time.
Number Constructions:
Read กว่า with the whole quantity expression. สิบกว่า gives a ten-something amount rather than an exact number. มากกว่าสิบ explicitly compares an amount with ten: more than ten. Compare these amount expressions with the quality comparison ดีกว่า.
Examples (5)
- อันนี้ดีกว่า
This one is better.
Word by Word: This one / good / than
This one is judged better than another choice understood from context; the comparison standard is not stated after กว่า.
- เขาตัวสูงกว่าฉัน
He is taller than me.
Word by Word: He / body / tall / than / me
สูง gives the height being compared, and กว่าฉัน gives the comparison standard: taller than me.
- อาหารไทยเผ็ดกว่าอาหารญี่ปุ่น
Thai food is spicier than Japanese food.
Word by Word: Food / Thai / spicy / than / food / Japanese
This sentence compares the spiciness of Thai food with Japanese food. It expresses the comparison being made, rather than a fact about every dish in either cuisine.
- เขาวิ่งเร็วกว่า
He runs faster.
Word by Word: He / run / fast / than
เร็ว describes the running speed being compared. The other runner or earlier performance is supplied by context.
- ฉันมีเงินมากกว่าคุณ
I have more money than you.
Word by Word: I / have / money / much / than / you
มากกว่า compares the amount of money I have with the amount you have in this sentence.
Common Mistakes
Placing 'กว่า' before the adjective (English word order).
เขากว่าสูงฉันเขาสูงกว่าฉันFor the intended comparison he is taller than me, put สูง before กว่า and the comparison standard ฉัน after it: เขาสูงกว่าฉัน.
Adding มาก in the supplied short comparison of quality.
อันนี้ดีมากกว่าอันนี้ดีกว่าFor the intended direct comparison this one is better, the supplied correction is อันนี้ดีกว่า. มากกว่า also occurs in comparisons of amounts or preferences. This task does not make มาก unacceptable in every comparison involving a quality.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To use the comparative 'กว่า', you first need to understand the basic Thai word order where adjectives follow nouns. Since Thai adjectives act like verbs, 'กว่า' is placed directly after the adjective to indicate 'more'. Familiarity with demonstratives like 'this' and 'that' is also helpful, as they are commonly used in comparison examples like 'this house is bigger than that one'.
- Adjectives Work As Verbs
In Thai, adjectives function as stative verbs; knowing this helps learners understand how 'กว่า' modifies the state (e.g., 'to be big' becomes 'to be bigger').
Level 1 - นี้ / นั้น / โน้นThis That and That Over There
Comparative sentences frequently use demonstratives (this/that) to identify the two items being compared.
Level 1
Related Patterns
- ที่สุดThe Most
กว่า compares one degree or amount with another standard; ที่สุด expresses the highest degree within a relevant set or context. The distinction is not a universal count of two versus three things.
Level 2 - Adjective + ขึ้นGetting More
กว่า states a comparison, while ขึ้น describes an upward change in the linked adjective construction. An earlier state can be the comparison standard; เดิม is one way to make that standard explicit.
Level 2 - เท่ากับEqual to
เท่ากับ expresses equality or equivalence in its complete construction; กว่า expresses a greater degree or amount relative to a standard.
Level 2 - ไม่เท่าNot As…As in Comparisons
ไม่เท่า expresses a not-as comparison, while กว่า compares a greater degree or amount relative to a standard.
Level 2 - มากVery
มาก expresses degree or amount. In the supplied money example, มากกว่า compares one amount with another.
Level 1 - ดีกว่าBetter and Preferred Choices
The linked ดีกว่า construction can present a preferred action or choice; compare that reading with the direct quality comparison in อันนี้ดีกว่า.
Level 3
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice กว่า in Bubblegum
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