Core Pattern Rule: Making Comparisons with -보다
The pattern -보다 is used to make comparisons between two nouns. It's equivalent to "than" in English.
Formation
Attach -보다 directly to the noun that is being used as the standard for comparison. There's no need to worry about final consonants.
Structure: Noun (standard) + 보다 + Noun (subject) + 이/가 + Adjective/Verb
Usage with 더 (more) and 덜 (less)
더 (more): To say something is "more" than something else, you add 더 before the adjective or verb. For example, A보다 B가 더 커요 (B is bigger than A).
덜 (less): To say something is "less" than something else, you use 덜. For example, A보다 B가 덜 비싸요 (B is less expensive than A).
As you'll see in the next section, 더 is often omitted when the context makes the comparison clear.
치킨보다 피자가 좋아. / 영어보다 한국어가 어려워요. / 슈퍼맨이 차보다 빨라.
Native Nuance: Omitting 더 (More)
In natural Korean conversation, the word 더 (more) is frequently omitted when the context makes the meaning obvious. The comparison is implied by the structure of the -보다 sentence itself.
When to Omit 더
If you say 치킨보다 피자가 좋아, it's naturally understood as "I like pizza more than chicken." You don't need to explicitly say 더 좋아.
Example: 여름보다 겨울이 좋아. (I like winter more than summer.)
This omission makes your speech sound more fluid and less textbook-like.
When NOT to Omit (Using 덜)
Unlike 더, the word 덜 (less) is almost never omitted. You must include it to specify that something is "less" than something else, as this is not the default assumption.
Correct: 오늘은 어제보다 덜 추워요. (It's less cold than yesterday.)
Incorrect/Unnatural: 오늘은 어제보다 추워요. (This would mean "It's colder than yesterday.")
치킨보다 피자가 좋아. / 여름보다 겨울이 좋아요. / 돈보다 중요해. / 일보다 건강이 중요해요.