より, のほうが, 一番, ほど and the little words that limit and emphasise: だけ, しか, ばかり, も, さえ and でも. Short patterns, constant in real Japanese.
About 4 minutes to read
Comparing two things: より and のほうが
A より B のほうが 〜 says B is more 〜 than A. より marks the thing compared against.
犬dogよりthan猫catのほうがis more好きliked
I like cats more than dogs.
電車trainのほうがis moreバスbusよりthan速いfast
The train is faster than the bus.
You can drop either half when it's clear:
こちらthis oneのほうがis more安いcheap
This one is cheaper.
To ask which of two: どちらのほうが 〜 ですか。
The most: 一番
一番 + adjective — "the most".
これthisが一番most好きliked
I like this the best.
日本Japanで一番most高いtall山mountain
the tallest mountain in Japan
As much as: ほど
ほど is "to the extent of", and in a negative sentence it says "not as 〜 as".
今日todayは昨日yesterdayほどas寒くcoldない
Today isn't as cold as yesterday.
Same as: と同じくらい / 同じ ("the same as"):
彼heは私meと同じくらいabout as背heightが高いtall
He's about as tall as I am.
Only: だけ and しか
だけ means "only", しか means "nothing but" and always goes with a negative.
水waterだけonly飲んだdrank
I only drank water.
水waterしかnothing but飲まなかったdidn't drink
I drank nothing but water. (There was nothing else.)
The English sentences are nearly identical, but しか adds a feeling of "so little". 100円しかない — "I've only got 100 yen" — suggests disappointment.
Only, mostly: ばかり
ばかり means "nothing but, all the time" and often shows a complaint.
ゲームgameばかりonlyしているis doing
He does nothing but play games.
Even: さえ and でも
さえ and でも mean "even": the extreme case. It implies "if even this, then of course the rest".
子供childでもeven分かるunderstands
Even a child understands.
自分oneselfの名前nameさえeven忘れたforgot
I even forgot my own name.
Emphasising a number: も
も after a number means "as many as, a whole":
三時間three hoursもas many as待ったwaited
I waited for no less than three hours.
一人one personもnot evenいないthere isn't
There isn't a single person.
Longer sentences
Comparisons turn into arguments with several limits and degrees.
東京はTokyo大阪よりthan Osaka人口がpopulation多いがlarger, but物価はprices大阪ほどas much as Osaka安くないaren't cheapだからso食費だけをjust food costs比べればif you compare大阪の方がOsaka安くcheaply済むgets byと(quote)言われているis said
Tokyo has a bigger population than Osaka, but prices aren't as low as in Osaka, so if you compare food costs alone, it is said that you can get by more cheaply in Osaka.
彼はhe子供でもeven a child分かるunderstandsことさえeven this理解できずbeing unable to grasp人のpeople's話もtalk too全然at all聞かないdoesn't listenのでso皆がeveryone困っているis troubled
He can't even grasp what a child could understand, and he doesn't listen to anyone at all, so everybody is at a loss.
Key points
A より B のほうが = B more than A. 一番 = the most.
ほど + negative = not as 〜 as.
だけ = only. しか + negative = nothing but.
ばかり = nothing but (often with complaint).
さえ / でも = even. Number + も = as many as.
Drill these patterns
Short example sentences for the points in this lesson: