{"id":15607,"date":"2018-02-05T12:48:34","date_gmt":"2018-02-05T11:48:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/italian\/?p=15607"},"modified":"2018-02-05T12:48:34","modified_gmt":"2018-02-05T11:48:34","slug":"making-comparisons-in-italian","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/italian\/making-comparisons-in-italian\/","title":{"rendered":"Making Comparisons In Italian"},"content":{"rendered":"

When learning how to make comparisons students are usually taught to use pi\u00f9 <\/strong>(more) or meno <\/strong>(less) and the preposition di <\/strong>(than). But is this always the case? Let’s find out.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Pontremoli \u00e8 molto pi\u00f9 bella di La Spezia.<\/strong> Pontremoli is far more beautiful than La Spezia. Photo by Geoff.<\/em><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

Here are some examples that follow the rule outlined above:
\nLa Spezia \u00e8 pi\u00f9 grande di<\/span> Pontremoli<\/strong> = La Spezia is bigger than Pontremoli
\nor<\/em> Pontremoli \u00e8 pi\u00f9 piccola di<\/span> La Spezia<\/strong> = Pontremoli is smaller than La Spezia
\nLa mia valigia \u00e8 meno pesante della<\/span> tua<\/strong> = My suitcase is less heavy than yours
\nor<\/em> La tua valigia \u00e8 pi\u00f9 pesante della<\/span> mia<\/strong> = Your suitcase is heavier than mine
\nN.B. in the second example ‘di’<\/strong> combines with the definite article ‘la’<\/strong> to become della<\/strong>. See my recent blog Combining Articles With Prepositions<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Nice and straightforward, vero<\/strong>? However (yes, there’s always a however in Italian!) it won’t be long before you come across sentences such as:
\nPiove meno qua che<\/span> in Inghilerra<\/strong> = It rains less here than in England
\nor<\/em> Meglio tardi che<\/span> mai<\/strong> = Better late than never<\/p>\n

Oh well, so much for the pi\u00f9\/meno +<\/strong> di<\/strong> rule! Unfortunately, dear readers, “non esiste una regola semplice sull’uso del che<\/em> e del di<\/em>” <\/strong>(there isn’t a simple rule for the use of che<\/em> <\/strong>or di<\/em><\/strong>). In fact you can often use either, for example:<\/p>\n

Uso meno la macchina che<\/span> la bicicletta<\/strong> = I use my car less than my bicycle
\nor<\/em> Uso meno la macchina della<\/span> bicicletta<\/strong> = I use my car less than my bicycle
\nRoma \u00e8 pi\u00f9 antica che<\/span> Firenze<\/strong> = Rome is older than Florence
\nor\u00a0<\/em>Roma \u00e8 pi\u00f9 antica di<\/span> Firenze<\/strong> = Rome is older than Florence<\/p>\n

So, how do you decide whether to use di<\/strong> or che<\/strong>? Well, as a general rule we we tend to use di<\/strong> more frequently, but che <\/strong>works better when:<\/p>\n

1. <\/span><\/span><\/strong>it precedes an infinitive<\/span><\/span><\/em>:<\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n

Mi piace pi\u00f9 leggere che<\/span> guardare la T<\/strong>V = I like reading better than watching TV
\nPreferisco camminare che<\/span> correre<\/strong> = I prefer to walk rather than run<\/p>\n

2. <\/span><\/strong>it precedes another adjective:<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Oggi \u00e8 pi\u00f9 umido che<\/span> freddo<\/strong> = Today is more humid than cold
\nLa casa \u00e8 pi\u00f9 pratica che<\/span> bella<\/strong> = The house is more practical than beautiful<\/p>\n

3. <\/span><\/strong>it precedes another preposition such as <\/span><\/em>in<\/span><\/strong> or <\/span><\/em>a<\/span><\/strong><\/span>:<\/span> <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Il clima qui \u00e8 pi\u00f9 bello che<\/span> in Inghilterra<\/strong> = The weather here is nicer than in England
\nVado pi\u00f9 spesso a Firenze che<\/span> a Milano<\/strong> = I go to Florence more often than to Milan<\/p>\n

At the end of the day, knowing when to use di<\/strong> or che<\/strong> can be difficult because the difference is often very subtle.<\/p>\n

C’\u00e8 pi\u00f9 sole in Sicilia che<\/span> in Piemonte<\/strong> = There is more sun in Sicily than in Piedmont
\nLa Sicilia \u00e8 pi\u00f9 arida del<\/span> Piemonte<\/strong> = Sicily is more arid than Piedmont<\/p>\n

As with most aspects of learning a language, this is something that comes with practice and experience. Pazienza!<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

When learning how to make comparisons students are usually taught to use pi\u00f9 (more) or meno (less) and the preposition di (than). But is this always the case? Let’s find out. Here are some examples that follow the rule outlined above: La Spezia \u00e8 pi\u00f9 grande di Pontremoli = La Spezia is bigger than Pontremoli…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":90,"featured_media":15637,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[474354],"class_list":["post-15607","post","type-post","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-grammar","tag-di-or-che-in-italian-comparison"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t