Not as… as: 〜ほど〜ない・〜ほど〜はない
A は B ほど〜ない / B ほど〜は ない
A は B ほど〜ない: A isn't as… as B. B ほど〜はない: nothing is as… as B (superlative). Comparative ほど always goes with a negative.
In short
ほど followed by a negative compares “downwards”: A は B ほど〜ない = “A isn't as… as B” (今年は去年ほど寒くない). With the form B ほど〜はない, you get a superlative: “nothing is as… as B” (京都ほど美しい町はない).
- 今年は去年ほど寒くない。ことしはきょねんほどさむくない。This year, it isn't as cold as last year.
- この映画は、思ったほどおもしろくなかった。このえいがは、おもったほどおもしろくなかった。This film wasn't as interesting as I'd thought.
- 京都ほど美しい町はない。きょうとほどうつくしいまちはない。There's no city as beautiful as Kyoto.
- 日本語は、みんなが言うほど難しくない。にほんごは、みんながいうほどむずかしくない。Japanese isn't as hard as people say.
The basics
With より (N5), you say one thing beats another. With ほど + negative, you say it doesn't reach the other's level: “A isn't as… as B”. B is the yardstick, and A falls short.
It's a very natural way to tone things down: instead of saying “it's warm”, you say “it isn't as cold as last year”.
This year, it isn't as cold as last year.
- noun
- particle
- adjective
- 弟は、兄ほど背が高くない。おとうとは、あにほどせがたかくない。The younger brother isn't as tall as the elder.
- 今日は昨日ほど混んでいない。きょうはきのうほどこんでいない。Today it isn't as crowded as yesterday.
How to form it
The point of comparison (B) goes before ほど: a noun, or a clause (思った, 言われている, みんなが言う). The end of the sentence is always negative. それほど〜ない means “not that…”.
| Construction | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| A は B ほど Adj くない | A isn't as… as B | 今年は去年ほど寒くない |
| A は B ほど V ない | A doesn't… as much as B | 弟は兄ほど食べない |
| 思ったほど〜ない | not as… as I thought | 思ったほど高くなかった |
| それほど〜ない | not that… | それほど難しくない |
| B ほど〜は ない | nothing is as… as B | 京都ほど美しい町はない |
- 京都のホテルは、思ったほど高くなかった。きょうとのほてるは、おもったほどたかくなかった。Kyoto's hotels weren't as expensive as I'd thought.
- 「テスト、難しかった？」「いや、それほど難しくなかったよ。」「てすと、むずかしかった？」「いや、それほどむずかしくなかったよ。」“Was the test hard?” “No, not that hard.”
A superlative: 〜ほど〜はない
Turned around, ほど〜はない becomes a superlative: “there's nothing as… as B”, i.e. “B is the most…”. For people, end with いない.
It's an expressive, slightly emphatic way of showing admiration.
- 母の料理ほどおいしいものはない。ははのりょうりほどおいしいものはない。Nothing tastes as good as my mother's cooking.
- 彼ほど優しい人はいない。かれほどやさしいひとはいない。There's nobody as kind as him.
ほど〜ない or より?
The two constructions describe the same reality from two directions: 京都は東京より静かだ (Kyoto is quieter) = 東京は京都ほど静かではない (Tokyo isn't as quiet). But in this sense, ほど is only used with a negative.
| Sentence | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 京都は東京より静かだ | Kyoto is quieter than Tokyo |
| 東京は京都ほど静かではない | Tokyo isn't as quiet as Kyoto |
| × 東京は京都ほど静かだ | (impossible in a comparison) |
Common mistakes
- Using ほど in an affirmative comparison: “去年ほど寒い” is wrong. For “colder than”, it's より.
- Reversing A and B: 東京は京都ほど静かではない = it's Tokyo that's less quiet. The reference point always comes before ほど.
- Forgetting は in the superlative: say 京都ほど美しい町はない, with は before ない.
8 exercises on this point
Particles to choose, sentences to put back in order, translations: marked straight away, then reviewed at the right time. This JLPT N3 point is on the Biwako Line (Work and the economy) of the Kyoto lines.