Comparison Particle 보다: Meaning, Rules and Examples

The comparison particle 보다 is a Korean marker that means "than". It attaches to the thing you compare against, as in 어제보다 (than yesterday), so the sentence 오늘은 어제보다 더워요 means "Today is hotter than yesterday." After this lesson you can build comparisons, add 더 correctly and avoid the reversed-meaning mistake.

What you'll learn

• Build a comparison with A은/는 B보다 (더) adjective.
• Decide which noun gets 보다 by finding the standard of comparison.
• Explain the difference between 보다, 더 and 가장/제일.
• Diagnose the error in 이것보다 저것이 커요 and fix it.

Before you start: you can read Hangul, know basic Korean word order (subject, object, verb) and have met polite adjective endings such as 커요. Estimated time: 20 minutes.

What Does the Comparison Particle 보다 Mean?

The comparison particle 보다 means "than". It marks the standard of comparison, the yardstick that something else is measured against. A particle (조사, josa) is a short word attached to a noun to show its job in the sentence, a little like a label on a box.

Think of 보다 as the word that names the yardstick. In "Today is hotter than yesterday", the yardstick is yesterday, so 어제 (yesterday) gets 보다. The other noun, today, is the thing being measured, and it takes the usual topic or subject particle: 오늘은.

English builds comparisons with an ending (-er) or the word "more", and then adds "than". Korean has no -er ending. The adjective stays in its basic form, 더워요, and 보다 does the "than" job by itself. A learner-friendly rule is that Korean always says what the yardstick is before it says the result.

One warning about sound. The syllables 보다 also spell the verb 보다 ("to see", as in 영화를 봐요). The particle follows a noun (어제보다) and the verb follows an object (영화를 보다), so context separates them.

A First Example

Two sentences show the pattern on two different pairs. Read the Korean first, then the romanization, then the meaning.

• 오늘은 어제보다 더워요. (oneureun eojeboda deowoyo) [오느른 어제보다 더워요] = "Today is hotter than yesterday." Word by word: 오늘 (today) + 은 (topic) + 어제 (yesterday) + 보다 (than) + 더워요 (is hot).

• 이것이 저것보다 커요. (igeosi jeogeotboda keoyo) [이거시 저걷뽀다 커요] = "This is bigger than that." Word by word: 이것 (this) + 이 (subject) + 저것 (that) + 보다 (than) + 커요 (is big).

Notice two things. First, 보다 sits on 어제 and 저것, the yardsticks, not on 오늘 and 이것. Second, in 저것보다 the ㅅ is said as [ㄷ] and the next ㅂ becomes tense, so the word is spoken [저걷뽀다]. The standard pronunciation rules (표준 발음법) explain that final ㅅ is said [ㄷ] before a consonant. With the meaning in place, the next question is how to build the full pattern.

How Does the Comparison Particle 보다 Work?

The comparison particle 보다 works by attaching to the yardstick noun, and the sentence then ends with an adjective or verb. The form never changes: it is 보다 after a vowel and 보다 after a consonant.

1. Pick the two things to compare, A (measured) and B (yardstick).
2. Attach 보다 to B with no space: 어제보다, 저것보다.
3. Mark A with 은/는 or 이/가: 오늘은, 이것이.
4. Add 더 ("more") before the adjective if you want to make the comparison clearer: 더 더워요.
5. End with the adjective in its polite form.

The word order is flexible. Both 오늘은 어제보다 더워요 and 어제보다 오늘이 더워요 are correct. The second version starts with the yardstick, which suits answers to questions such as "Is it hotter than yesterday?"

Pattern Table

The table shows the main shapes of a comparison with 보다. Brackets show pronunciation where it differs from the spelling.

Most of the table uses adjectives, but the last row shows that verbs of liking and preferring work too. The pattern is clear, so the next section builds one sentence from scratch.

Worked Example, Step by Step

This worked example builds 오늘은 어제보다 더워요 ("Today is hotter than yesterday") from its parts. Each step names one decision, so you can repeat the process with any pair.

1. Choose the two things. You compare today (A) with yesterday (B).
2. Find the yardstick. Yesterday is the thing you measure against, so B is 어제.
3. Attach 보다. Write 어제보다 with no space. Now the sentence has its "than" phrase.
4. Mark today. To say what the sentence is about, use the topic particle: 오늘은. 오늘 ends in the consonant ㄹ, so it takes 은.
5. Add 더, if you like. 더 means "more". With it the sentence says 더 더워요 ("is hotter", with "more" stated outright). Without it, the sentence is still correct.
6. Choose the adjective. "Hot" is 덥다. In the polite style, 덥다 becomes 더워요, because the final ㅂ turns into 우 before a vowel ending. This is called a ㅂ-irregular adjective.
7. Put the adjective last and say it aloud. The sentence is 오늘은 어제보다 더워요, pronounced [오느른 어제보다 더워요].

You'll know it worked when you can swap the parts. Replace the pair and the adjective: 오늘은 어제보다 추워요 (Today is colder than yesterday). Replace the yardstick: 오늘은 지난주보다 더워요 (Today is hotter than last week).

The same steps also handle the two words that look similar to 보다, which the next section compares.

How Is 보다 Different from 더 and 가장?

The comparison particle 보다 names the yardstick, 더 means "more", and 가장 or 제일 means "the most" in a group of three or more. Learners mix them up because English uses "-er", "more" and "than" in one sentence.

Only 보다 and 더 combine in one sentence: 어제보다 더 커요 means "bigger than yesterday". 가장 and 제일 stand alone, because "the most" already compares with everything. So 어제보다 가장 커요 is not a normal sentence. The lesson on Korean comparatives and superlatives 더 가장 covers the rest of the pattern.

Two neighbouring particles also compare. The 처럼 like particle says two things are alike in manner, and the 같이 together or like lesson covers a second way to say "like". Neither one ranks the two things, so neither can replace 보다. The comparison between the three particles is now clear, so the next section lists when to use 보다.

When Do You Use 보다, and When Not?

Use 보다 to compare two things, to state a preference and in a few fixed phrases. Avoid it in superlatives and when the other word is the verb 보다.

Four Common Uses

Each use comes with one sentence you can reuse.

1. Comparing two things. 지하철이 버스보다 빨라요. (jihacheori beoseuboda ppallayo) = The subway is faster than the bus.
2. Stating a preference with 는. 커피보다는 차를 좋아해요. (keopibodaneun chareul joahaeyo) = I like tea more than coffee. Adding 는 puts the focus on the contrast, and it reads as "rather than coffee".
3. Fixed phrase "above all". 무엇보다 건강이 중요해요. (mueotboda geongangi jungyohaeyo) = Above all, health is important. The phrase literally means "more than anything".
4. Fixed phrase "action over words". 말보다 행동이 중요해요. (malboda haengdongi jungyohaeyo) = Action matters more than words.

Where 보다 Does Not Go

Three places cause trouble.

1. On the bigger thing. 이것보다 저것이 커요 means "that is bigger than this". Put 보다 on the yardstick only.
2. In a superlative. 가장 and 제일 already compare with a whole group, so use 이것이 가장 커요, not a 보다 phrase.
3. When the word is the verb. 영화를 보다 means "to watch a movie", and the 보다 there is a verb, not a particle. The particle always follows a noun: 영화보다 책이 좋아요 ("I prefer books to movies").

One more fact helps with reading. In formal writing 보다 can also stand alone as an adverb meaning "more", as in 보다 나은 미래 (a better future). Learners meet it in news and speeches. In everyday talk, use 더 instead.

Speech and Writing

The comparison particle 보다 is used in every register: casual talk, polite talk, news, essays and official documents. The particle itself never changes with politeness. What changes is the ending of the adjective, for example 더워 (casual), 더워요 (polite) and 덥습니다 (formal). Knowing the uses is half the job; the other half is spotting the mistakes covered next.

What Mistakes Do Learners Make with 보다?

Learners usually make five predictable mistakes with 보다. Each one below follows the pattern "learners often assume X; actually Y, because Z".

1. Putting 보다 on the winner. Learners often write 이것보다 저것이 커요 to mean "this is bigger than that". Actually 보다 marks the yardstick, so the sentence says "that is bigger than this". Fix it with 저것보다 이것이 커요.
2. Using 보다 with 가장. Learners often combine them to get an extra-strong "most". Actually 가장 already means "the most of all", so the correct sentence is 이것이 가장 커요.
3. Adding 이/가 to the yardstick. Learners often write 어제가보다. Actually 보다 attaches straight to the noun, with no subject particle in between: 어제보다.
4. Thinking 더 is required. Learners often feel every comparison needs 더. Actually 오늘은 어제보다 더워요 is complete without it, and 더 only adds emphasis. Use it when you want to stress the difference.
5. Mixing it up with 처럼. Learners often use 보다 for "like". Actually 처럼 means "in the same way as", and 보다 ranks two things. 아이처럼 웃어요 means "she smiles like a child", with no ranking at all.

A rule of thumb: ask "which one am I measuring against?" and put 보다 on that noun. That one question fixes most beginner errors, and the practice set below tests it.

Practice and Answers

These four exercises check the outcomes listed at the top of the lesson. Write or say your answers first, then check them in the answer key.

Exercise 1: Choose the word. Fill each gap with 보다 or 가장.

1. 이 가방이 저 가방__ 비싸요. (This bag is more expensive than that bag.)
2. 이 가방이 __ 비싸요. (This bag is the most expensive.)
3. 버스__ 지하철이 빨라요. (The subway is faster than the bus.)
4. 서울은 한국에서 __ 큰 도시예요. (Seoul is the biggest city in Korea.)

Exercise 2: Fix the error. Each sentence has one problem.

1. 이것보다 저것이 커요. (Meant: This is bigger than that.)
2. 이것이 저것보다 가장 커요.

Exercise 3: Translate. "Today is colder than yesterday." (cold = 춥다, polite 추워요)

Exercise 4: Write your own. Compare two foods or two places you know. Use A은/는 B보다 and one adjective in the polite style.

Answer Key

• Exercise 1: 1 보다 (two bags are compared). 2 가장 (the most of all). 3 보다 (버스보다). 4 가장 (the biggest in a group).
• Exercise 2: 1 저것보다 이것이 커요 or 이것이 저것보다 커요. The yardstick is "that", so 보다 goes on 저것. 2 이것이 저것보다 커요 or 이것이 가장 커요. A sentence uses one or the other, never both.
• Exercise 3: 오늘은 어제보다 추워요. (oneureun eojeboda chuwoyo) 춥다 is a ㅂ-irregular adjective, like 덥다, so ㅂ turns into 우 and the ending is 워요.
• Exercise 4: One model answer: 김치찌개가 라면보다 맛있어요. (gimchijjigaega ramyeonboda masisseoyo) = Kimchi stew is tastier than ramen. Any pair is correct if 보다 sits on the yardstick.

If you missed Exercise 1, return to the table that compares 보다 and 가장. If you missed Exercise 2, reread the section on where 보다 does not go. The next section points to where to go from here.

Next Lessons and Where to Go from Here

The natural next lesson is the 처럼 like particle, which says two things are alike in manner instead of ranking them. After that, Korean comparatives and superlatives 더 가장 completes the pattern with "the most". For a second pair of particles that learners confuse, compare 만 vs 밖에. The whole set is listed under Korean comparison particles. If sentence order still feels uncertain, the lesson on the korean sov sentence pattern comes first.

What this lesson does not cover. This lesson does not cover the equal comparison "as ... as" (만큼, 처럼), the full superlative pattern, or verbs that take a comparison such as 닮다. Those topics have their own lessons in the comparison and extent set.

In short, the comparison particle 보다 names the yardstick in a comparison: attach it to the thing you measure against, and the adjective at the end gives the result.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does 보다 mean in Korean grammar? 보다 means "than" when it follows a noun. It marks the thing you compare against: in 서울이 부산보다 커요, 부산보다 means "than Busan", so the sentence says "Seoul is bigger than Busan". The same sound is also the verb 보다 ("to see"), but the two are different words.

How do I form a comparison with 보다? Use the pattern A은/는 B보다 (더) adjective, or put B보다 first: 오늘은 어제보다 더워요 or 어제보다 오늘이 더워요. Attach 보다 to B with no space and no change for vowels or consonants. 더 ("more") is optional and makes the comparison clearer.

What is the most common mistake with 보다? The most common mistake is putting 보다 on the bigger thing. 이것보다 저것이 커요 means "that is bigger than this", the opposite of what many learners intend. Ask yourself which noun is the yardstick: that noun gets 보다. The noun that wins the comparison does not.

How is 보다 different from 더 and 가장? 보다 names the standard ("than B"), 더 means "more" and is optional, and 가장 or 제일 means "the most" in a group of three or more. Comparisons of two things use 보다; superlatives never use it. 어제보다 더 커요 means "bigger than yesterday", and 가장 커요 means "the biggest".

Do I use 보다 in speech, writing or both? Both. 보다 appears in casual talk, polite speech, news and formal writing, and it does not change with politeness. Only the verb ending changes: 더워요 (polite), 더워 (casual), 덥습니다 (formal). The fixed phrase 무엇보다 is common in speeches and essays, while 보다는 is common in conversation.