Key Facts
- Hangul: 비교하다 (bigyohada)
- Meaning: to compare
- Level: B1
- Part of speech: verb
- Stem: 비교하
- Conjugation class: 하다
- Grammar: The things compared take 을/를; the other thing takes 와/과 or 에: A를 B와 비교하다.
- Usage: Often 비교해 보다 (try comparing). 비교적 means relatively.
What Does 비교하다 Mean?
The pattern is A를 B와 비교하다: the first item takes 을/를, and the thing it is measured against takes 와/과 or 에. Prices are a typical object, as in 가격을 비교하다.
The form 비교해 보다 means try comparing, and the adverb 비교적 means relatively.
How Do You Pronounce 비교하다?
비교하다 is read as written. The 하 + 여 contraction gives 비교해요 and 비교했어요, so only the ending part changes.
How Do You Use 비교하다 in a Sentence?
가게마다 가격을 비교해요.
I compare prices at each shop.
가게마다 means at each shop, and 가격을 is the thing being compared. The sentence does not name a second item.
두 회사를 비교했어요.
I compared the two companies.
두 회사를 gives two companies as the object, so a second marker is not needed.
비교하면 이쪽이 더 싸요.
If you compare them, this one is cheaper.
비교하면 is the conditional, and the clause that follows says that this one is cheaper.
How Does Bigyohada Conjugation Work?
The stem 비교하 takes the 하다 pattern: 비교해요, 비교했어요, 비교하면 and 비교해서. Only endings that start with 아/어 transform the 하 into 해; the rest attach to 비교하 directly.
비교하다
| Form | Korean | Romanization | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polite present | 비교해요 | ||
| Polite past | 비교했어요 | ||
| Polite future (plan) | 비교할 거예요 | ||
| Polite future (intention or guess) | 비교하겠어요 | ||
| Formal present | 비교합니다 | ||
| Formal past | 비교했습니다 | ||
| Formal future | 비교할 것입니다 | ||
| Casual present | 비교해 | ||
| Casual past | 비교했어 | ||
| Casual future | 비교할 거야 | ||
| Want to (polite) | 비교하고 싶어요 | ||
| Honorific polite | 비교하세요 | ||
| Because / and then | 비교해서 | ||
| If (conditional) | 비교하면 | ||
| Present modifier (before a noun) | 비교하는 | ||
| Past modifier (before a noun) | 비교한 | ||
| Future modifier (before a noun) | 비교할 | ||
| Negative with 안 (short) | 비교 안 해요 | ||
| Negative (long form) | 비교하지 않아요 |
Sound Changes
| Form | Korean | Sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| Polite past | 비교했어요 | [비교해써요] |
| Polite future | 비교할 거예요 | [비교할꺼예요] |
| Polite future guess | 비교하겠어요 | [비교하게써요] |
| Formal present | 비교합니다 | [비교함니다] |
| Formal past | 비교했습니다 | [비교핻씀니다] |
| Formal future | 비교할 것입니다 | [비교할꺼심니다] |
| Casual past | 비교했어 | [비교해써] |
| Casual future | 비교할 거야 | [비교할꺼야] |
| Want to (polite) | 비교하고 싶어요 | [비교하고 시퍼요] |
| Long negative | 비교하지 않아요 | [비교하지 아나요] |
Common Mistake
Wrong: ✗ A를 B를 비교해요.
Correct: ✓ A를 B와 비교해요.
Why: English "compare A and B" tempts learners to mark both items with 을/를. In Korean only the first item takes 을/를, and the second takes 와/과 or 에, so A를 B와 비교해요 is correct.
Where Does 비교하다 Turn up in Practice?
Shopping is the classic scene: 가게마다 가격을 비교해요. The adverb 비교적 is built on the same noun and means relatively, so a learner who knows 비교하다 can read it at once. After comparing, people usually choose, so 선택하다 and 고르다 are the natural next verbs, and 같다 (to be the same) names the result when nothing differs.
What Is Easy to Confuse with 비교하다?
| Word | How to tell it from 비교하다 |
|---|---|
| 고르다 | 고르다 is picking one; 비교하다 is looking at differences before choosing. |
| 다르다 | 다르다 describes difference as a state, while 비교하다 is the act of comparing. |
Choosing between Two Laptops
Two friends are shopping for a laptop. They have checked prices, but one wants to compare the screens before choosing.
Jisu
가격을 비교했어요?
Gagyeogeul bigyohaesseoyo?
Did you compare the prices?
Minho
네. 화면도 비교하고 싶어요.
Ne. Hwamyeondo bigyohago sipeoyo.
Yes. I want to compare the screens too.
Jisu
그럼 이 두 개를 비교해요.
Geureom i du gaereul bigyohaeyo.
Then let’s compare these two.
비교했어요 checks what is already done. 비교하고 싶어요 introduces another feature to inspect, and 비교해요 becomes a suggestion in the final line. The verb describes examining the options; it does not say which laptop either person will buy.
Collocations for Choosing and Measuring
가격을 비교하다 means to compare prices. 성능을 비교하다 means to compare performance. Naming the feature makes the comparison useful: two products can have similar prices but different performance. The verb itself does not say which feature matters most.
장단점을 비교하다 means to compare strengths and weaknesses, or pros and cons. You will meet it in reviews, buying guides and discussions of different plans. It suggests looking at more than one side of the options, rather than simply declaring one of them better.
비교해 보다 means to try comparing or compare and see. The extra 보다 presents the comparison as something to try before deciding. It is especially useful when a seller or a friend suggests checking alternatives. Keep a space in this learner-friendly spelling: 비교해 보다.
비교가 안 되다 literally says that comparison does not work or is not possible. In conversation it can mean that two things are in different leagues. That can express admiration or criticism, so the surrounding judgement matters. It does not always mean there is too little information to compare them.
Where Will You Hear 비교하다?
Shopping websites and product reviews use 비교 for side-by-side checks of features. A button labelled 비교 may open a table rather than start a purchase. 가격 비교 is price comparison; it does not promise that the cheapest option is the best overall choice.
In school writing, 비교하다 can introduce similarities as well as differences. You might compare two places, two characters or two periods. English “contrast” focuses more narrowly on differences, while a Korean comparison can consider both what matches and what does not.
In personal conversations, comparing one person with another can feel judgemental. 아이를 다른 아이와 비교하다 describes comparing a child with another child. The grammar is ordinary, but the choice to compare people may be the sensitive point. An accurate translation should preserve that social context.
What Makes 비교하다 Tricky?
The comparison partner can take 와 after a vowel and 과 after a consonant. A를 B와 비교하다 is a useful skeleton, but real nouns decide the particle. If you group the items together, 두 제품을 비교하다 means comparing two products; there is no need to name one as the separate standard.
A sentence with 보다 and 더 can state the result of a comparison without using 비교하다. Here 보다 is the comparison particle meaning “than”, not the dictionary verb “to see”. Compare the purpose: 비교하다 names the act of checking, while a “cheaper than” sentence gives a conclusion. See the lesson on 보다 comparisons.
비교해서 can connect comparing with the next action. 비교하면 gives an “if” or “when” condition. Both keep the noun 비교 unchanged, while the 하다 ending changes. This is why learning the entire phrase as one fixed sound makes longer sentences harder to recognise.
Words That Make a Comparison Useful
| Korean | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 가격 | price | A number to compare when shopping. |
| 성능 | performance | Common when discussing devices or machines. |
| 장점 | strength; advantage | What works in an option's favour. |
| 단점 | weakness; disadvantage | What counts against an option. |
The shopping vocabulary lesson teaches the wider set for comparing items before buying.
Mini Drill: Build the Comparison
- Give the polite past of 비교하다.
- Choose a marker for the comparison partner: A를 B와 / B를 비교해요.
- Give the conditional meaning “if you compare”.
- Use the short negative to say you do not compare.
Show drill answers
- 비교했어요.
- B와. The partner takes 와/과 in this pattern.
- 비교하면.
- 비교 안 해요.
Quick Self-Test
- Does comparing two products mean you have selected one?
- Does 장단점 cover only advantages?
- Can 비교가 안 되다 mean that things are in different leagues?
Show answers
- No. 고르다 or 선택하다 describes choosing.
- No. It covers strengths and weaknesses.
- Yes. Context tells you whether the speaker is praising or criticising.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I Say Compare a with B?
A를 B와 비교하다, with 와 after B.
What Does 비교해 보다 Mean?
It means to compare and see, usually before a decision, such as comparing prices before you buy.
What Does 비교적 Mean?
It means relatively or comparatively. The adverb is built on the same noun, 비교.
What Is the past Tense?
비교했어요 in the polite style and 비교했습니다 in the formal style.
Which Words Are Related to 비교하다?
What Should You Learn Next?
Move on to 고르다 for choosing after you compare, and 다르다 for the idea of difference. The pattern behind 비교해요 is in 하다 to 해요, the Korean verb conjugator shows other forms, and the Korean verb dictionary lists related entries. See negating 하다 verbs for negation.