Compared with: 〜にくらべて
Noun + に比べて / に比べると
Noun + に比べて / に比べると: compared with. The benchmark comes first; what follows describes the other item or a change.
In short
〜に比べて (“comparing with”) sets a reference point and describes the other item in relation to it: 去年に比べて、観光客が増えた. 〜に比べると is slightly more spoken, 〜に比べ more written.
- 去年に比べて、観光客が増えた。きょねんにくらべて、かんこうきゃくがふえた。Compared with last year, there are more tourists.
- 東京に比べると、京都は静かだ。とうきょうにくらべると、きょうとはしずかだ。Compared with Tokyo, Kyoto is quiet.
- 兄に比べて、私は背が低い。あににくらべて、わたしはせがひくい。Compared with my big brother, I'm short.
- 昔に比べ、町は大きく変わった。むかしにくらべ、まちはおおきくかわった。Compared with the old days, the town has changed a lot.
The basics
比べる means “to compare”. 〜に比べて first sets a reference point (last year, Tokyo, my brother), then describes the other item in relation to it. It's English “compared with”, “in comparison with”.
Compared with last year, there are more tourists.
- noun
- verb
- 名古屋に比べて、京都は物が少し高い。なごやにくらべて、きょうとはものがすこしたかい。Compared with Nagoya, things are a bit more expensive in Kyoto.
- 一年前に比べると、日本語がずいぶん上手になったね。いちねんまえにくらべると、にほんごがずいぶんじょうずになったね。Compared with a year ago, your Japanese has really improved!
How to form it
Place に比べて after the reference noun. に比べると is slightly more spoken, に比べ more written. You also come across と比べて, with the same meaning.
| Form | Register | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun + に比べて | everyday | 去年に比べて増えた |
| Noun + に比べると | slightly more spoken | 東京に比べると静かだ |
| Noun + に比べ | written | 昔に比べ、変わった |
| Noun + と比べて | everyday | 兄と比べて背が低い |
- 前の家と比べて、今の家は駅に近い。まえのいえとくらべて、いまのいえはえきにちかい。Compared with my old house, this one is close to the station.
に比べて or より?
より (N5) makes a simple comparison: A は B より〜. に比べて puts more emphasis on the reference point, and the sentence can describe a change or a state without a comparative adjective: 去年に比べて増えた (“it's gone up compared with last year”).
Note that in Japanese, the adjective stays as it is: 京都は静かだ here means “Kyoto is quieter”. Don't add もっと to render English “-er”.
| Form | Example | Nuance |
|---|---|---|
| より | 京都は東京より静かだ | simple comparison |
| に比べて | 東京に比べて、京都は静かだ | reference point set first |
| に比べて + change | 去年に比べて増えた | change relative to a benchmark |
- 京都は東京より静かです。きょうとはとうきょうよりしずかです。Kyoto is quieter than Tokyo.
- 去年に比べて、今年は雪が少ない。きょねんにくらべて、ことしはゆきがすくない。Compared with last year, there's less snow this year.
Common mistakes
- Putting を before 比べて: “去年を比べて” is wrong here; the benchmark takes に (or と): 去年に比べて, 去年と比べて.
- Adding もっと to translate “-er” or “more”: 東京に比べて、京都はもっと静かだ is heavy; 京都は静かだ is enough.
- Using に比べて without an explicit reference point: you need a noun before it (去年に, 東京に…).
7 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.