Learn the comparativo di maggioranza

As the word suggests, the comparative is a construction that allows to compare two or more entities – verbs, nouns, pronouns, adjectives or adverb – expressing some degree of superiority, inferiority or equality.

The first entity is the primo termine di paragone (first term of comparison), while the second is the secondo termine di paragone (second term of comparison).

Example:

(1° termine di paragone) Mario è più alto (2° termine di paragone) di Giacomo
(1st term of comparison) Mario is taller (2nd term of comparison) than Giacomo

COMPARATIVO DI MAGGIORANZA – EXPRESSING SUPERIORITY

FORMATION

To express superiority Italian uses:

– the word più (more) before an adjective and the word di (than) to introduce the second term of comparison if this is a noun and a pronoun (not preceded by a preposition) or an adverb.

1ST TERM OF COMPARISON + VERB + PIU’ + ADJECTIVE + DI + 2ND TERM OF COMPARISON

Examples:

Lucia è più intelligente di Angela –> Lucia is brighter than Angela;
Martina è più contenta di prima -> Martina is happier than before;

– the word più (more) before an adjective and the word che (than) to introduce the second term of comparison if this is a noun and a pronoun (preceded by a preposition) or when the aim is to compare two adjectives of quality or two infinitives.

1ST TERM OF COMPARISON + VERB + PIU’ + ADJECTIVE + CHE + 2ND TERM OF COMPARISON

Examples:

Francesco è più bravo in matematica che in latino -> Francesco is better at maths than at latin;
Marco è più bello che intelligente -> Marco is more beautiful than intelligent;
Correre è più faticoso che camminare -> Running is more tiring than walking;