When learning Italian, one essential aspect is understanding and using prepositions correctly. Prepositions of comparison, or “preposizioni di confronto” in Italian, play a crucial role in expressing comparisons between people, objects, or ideas. In this guide, we will explore the various prepositions of comparison used in Italian and provide example sentences to illustrate their usage.
Di (of)
The preposition “di” is commonly used in Italian to express comparison and is similar to the English preposition “than.” It is typically used after comparative adjectives or adverbs to indicate the standard against which something is being compared.
Example sentences:
Marco è più alto di Luca. (Marco is taller than Luca.)
Il film è meno interessante di quello che ho visto ieri. (The movie is less interesting than the one I saw yesterday.)
Che (that, than)
The preposition “che” is another commonly used preposition of comparison in Italian. It is used to introduce the second term of comparison and is similar to the English word “than.”
Example sentences:
Lei è più giovane che bella. (She is more young than beautiful.)
Questa città è meno grande che famosa. (This city is less big than famous.)
Rispetto a (in comparison to)
The prepositional phrase “rispetto a” is used to express a comparison between two elements. It can be translated as “in comparison to” or “compared to” in English.
Example sentences:
Questo libro è migliore rispetto a quello che ho letto prima. (This book is better compared to the one I read before.)
Maria guida più velocemente rispetto a suo padre. (Maria drives faster in comparison to her father.)
Come (as)
The preposition “come” is used to express a comparison of equality, meaning “as” or “like” in English. It is used when the two elements being compared are considered equal.
Example sentences:
Sono altrettanto bravi come i loro amici. (They are equally good as their friends.)
Mia sorella è bella come mia madre. (My sister is as beautiful as my mother.)
Più di (more than)
The prepositional phrase “più di” is used to express a comparison of superiority, meaning “more than” in English. It is used when one element is greater in quantity or quality than another.
Example sentences:
Ho mangiato più di te. (I ate more than you.)
La tua macchina è più veloce di quella di mio padre. (Your car is faster than my father’s.)
Meno di (less than)
The prepositional phrase “meno di” is used to express a comparison of inferiority, meaning “less than” in English. It is used when one element is lesser in quantity or quality than another.
Example sentences:
Ho dormito meno di cinque ore ieri sera. (I slept less than five hours last night.)
Il suo reddito è meno di quello di suo fratello. (His income is less than his brother’s.)
Così come (just like)
The prepositional phrase “così come” is used to express a comparison of similarity, meaning “just like” or “as well as” in English. It is used when two elements are similar or identical in some aspect.
Example sentences:
Lui ama lo sport così come suo padre. (He loves sports just like his father.)
Io ho gli stessi interessi così come i miei amici. (I have the same interests as my friends.)
It’s important to note that these examples represent only a portion of the possible usage of prepositions of comparison in Italian. There are additional prepositions and variations depending on the specific context or degree of comparison. However, by understanding and mastering these basic prepositions, beginners can begin to express simple comparisons accurately in Italian.
In conclusion, prepositions of comparison are fundamental in expressing comparisons in Italian. By learning how to use prepositions such as “di,” “che,” “rispetto a,” “come,” “più di,” “meno di,” and “così come,” beginners can effectively compare people, objects, or ideas. Remember to practice using these prepositions in context to become more comfortable and fluent in expressing comparisons in Italian.
Originally posted 2023-07-14 16:45:00.