Comparison with 比, 較, 還較 and 最 — Hailu Hakka Grammar

A comparison is built with (biˊpí) standing between the two things compared, and the adjective coming last: A (biˊpí) B + ADJECTIVE. There is no word answering to English than after the adjective, and the adjective itself never changes shape — nothing corresponds to the -er of warmer.

這位个天時比老屋燒暖。
liaˊ vui+ gaiˇ tienˋ shi biˊ loˊ vug shauˋ nonˋliá vůi kai thiên shì pí ló vuk shâu nôn
The weather here is warmer than at home.
這位个人比老屋个人靚。
liaˊ vui+ gaiˇ ngin biˊ loˊ vug gaiˇ ngin ziangˋliá vůi kai ngìn pí ló vuk kai ngìn tsiâng
The people here are better-looking than the people back home.
這位个食物比義大利个差。
liaˊ vui+ gaiˇ shidˋ vudˋ biˊ ngi+ tai+ li+ gaiˇ caˋliá vůi kai shi̍t vu̍t pí ngi̊ thåi li̊ kai tshâ
The food here is worse than in Italy.

較 — More

(haˇha) placed before an adjective raises it a degree, giving more or rather. It can be used with no second thing named at all, when what is being compared against is understood from the conversation.

你知哪家餐廳較好無？
ngi diˋ nai+ gaˋ conˋ tangˋ haˇ hoˊ mongì tî nåi kâ tshôn thâng ha hó mò
Do you know which restaurant is better?
你做得講較慢兜仔無？
ngi zoˇ ded gongˊ haˇ man+ deuˋ er mongì tso tet kóng ha mån têu èr mò
Could you speak a bit more slowly?

還較 — Even More

(han haˇhàn ha) strengthens the comparison to even more or still more. It sits in the same slot before the adjective, and combines readily with (biˊpí) to give the full frame A (biˊpí) B (han haˇhàn ha) ADJECTIVE.

這隻假期比𠊎按算个還較好。
liaˊ zhag gaˊ ki biˊ ngai onˇ sonˇ gaiˇ han haˇ hoˊliá chak ká khì pí ngài on son kai hàn ha hó
This vacation is even better than I had expected.
無比這還較便宜个了。
mo biˊ liaˊ han haˇ pien ngi gaiˇ leˋmò pí liá hàn ha phièn ngì kai lê
There's nothing even cheaper than this.

最 — The Most

(zuiˇtsui) before an adjective makes a superlative. It very often appears with (gaiˇkai) following the adjective, giving the …-est one, and the group the superlative is drawn from can be named ahead of it.

這係你做得尋著最便宜个。
liaˊ heˇ ngi zoˇ ded cim doˊ zuiˇ pien ngi gaiˇliá he ngì tso tet tshìm tó tsui phièn ngì kai
This is the cheapest one you can find.
這係世界項最好个餐廳。
liaˊ heˇ sheˇ gieˇ hong+ zuiˇ hoˊ gaiˇ conˋ tangˋliá he she kie ho̊ng tsui hó kai tshôn thâng
This is the best restaurant in the world.
𠊎摎一個同事係最好个朋友。
ngai lauˋ rhid gaiˇ tung sii+ heˇ zuiˇ hoˊ gaiˇ pen rhiuˋngài lâu yit kai thùng sṳ̊ he tsui hó kai phèn yiû
A colleague and I are the best of friends.

The Whole Range

The three form a simple ladder. (haˇha) raises an adjective one step; (han haˇhàn ha) raises it further; (zuiˇtsui) takes it to the top. (biˊpí) is separate from all three — it names what the comparison is against, and can stand with or without them.

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