Comparatives with 'lebih'

01

The Basic Pattern

The structure is consistent for all adjectives, regardless of their length or spelling. There are no irregular forms to memorize.

• lebih + adjective = more [adjective] / [adjective]-er

• Rumah ini lebih besar.

  This house is bigger.

• Soalan ini lebih susah.

  This question is harder.

• Dia lebih rajin hari ini.

  He is more hardworking today.

02

Using 'Daripada' for Comparison

To indicate what the subject is being compared against (the equivalent of "than" in English), use the preposition daripada. This follows the adjective.

• Note: While dari also means "from," it is used for places and times. Only daripada is used for comparisons.

• Kereta saya lebih laju daripada keretanya.

  My car is faster than his car.

• Buku ini lebih tebal daripada majalah itu.

  This book is thicker than that magazine.

• Adik saya lebih tinggi daripada saya.

  My younger sibling is taller than me.

03

Expressing Preference

There is no single verb for "to prefer." Instead, use the construction lebih suka, which literally translates to "like more." This is often followed by daripada to indicate the option that is liked less.

• Saya lebih suka teh.

  I prefer tea.

• Mereka lebih suka berjalan kaki daripada memandu.

  They prefer walking over driving.

04

Negative Comparisons

To express that something is "less" than something else, replace lebih with kurang (less/lacking). This follows the same sentence structure.

• Filem ini kurang menarik.

  This movie is less interesting.

• Projek itu kurang penting daripada ini.

  That project is less important than this.

05

Adding Emphasis

To express a significant difference (equivalent to "much more" or "far better"), you can place the word jauh (far) before lebih. Alternatively, adding lagi after the adjective implies "even more."

• Harga di sini jauh lebih murah.

  The price here is much cheaper.

• Cuaca hari ini lebih panas lagi.

  The weather today is even hotter.