Comparison with 較 and 上 — Taiwanese Hokkien Grammar

Adjectives never change shape in Taiwanese. There is no -er or -est ending — comparison is done entirely with small words placed in front of the adjective, which makes it refreshingly regular.

較 — More

(khahkhahkhah4) before an adjective gives the comparative: more …, …-er. On its own it needs no second party — you can simply ask for something to be more of what it already is.

會使較俗無？
ē-sái khah sio̍k --bôē-sái khah sio̍k --bôe7-sai2 khah4 siok8 --bo5
Could it be a bit cheaper?
請講較大聲咧。
tshiánn kóng khah tuā-siann --lehchhiáⁿ kóng khah tōa-siaⁿ --lehtshiann2 kong2 khah4 tua7-siann1 --leh4
Please speak a bit louder.

比 — Than

To name what you are comparing against, put (pípípi2) and the reference in FRONT of the adjective. The full frame is SUBJECT + (pípípi2) + REFERENCE + (khahkhahkhah4) + ADJECTIVE — note that everything precedes the adjective, the reverse of English warmer than X.

遮的天氣比阮遐較燒烙。
tsia ê thinn-khì pí guán hia khah sio-lōchia ê thiⁿ-khì pí goán hia khah sio-lōtsia1 e5 thinn1-khi3 pi2 guan2 hia1 khah4 sio1-lo7
The weather here is warmer than where we live.
遮的人比西班牙的人較親切。
tsia ê lâng pí se-pan-gâ ê lâng khah tshin-tshiatchia ê lâng pí se-pan-gâ ê lâng khah chhin-chhiattsia1 e5 lang5 pi2 se1-pan1-ga5 e5 lang5 khah4 tshin1-tshiat4
People here are friendlier than in Spain.

上 — Most

(siōngsiōngsiong7) makes a superlative. It sits in the same slot as (khahkhahkhah4), directly before the adjective or the verb of liking.

我上愛食壽司。
guá siōng ài tsia̍h siū-súgóa siōng ài chia̍h siū-súgua2 siong7 ai3 tsiah8 siu7-su2
I like eating sushi best.
你上佮意佗一齣電影？
lí siōng kah-ì tó tsi̍t tshut tiān-iánnlí siōng kah-ì tó chi̍t chhut tiān-iáⁿli2 siong7 kah4-i3 to2 tsit8 tshut4 tian7-iann2
Which film do you like best?
這間是全世界上讚的餐廳。
tsit king sī tsuân-sè-kài siōng tsán ê tshan-thiannchit keng sī choân-sè-kài siōng chán ê chhan-thiaⁿtsit4 king1 si7 tsuan5-se3-kai3 siong7 tsan2 e5 tshan1-thiann1
This is the best restaurant in the world.

傷 — Too Much

(siunnsiuⁿsiunn1) is not a comparison at all but an excess — too …, more than is wanted. It carries a complaint, so keep it apart from (tsinchintsin1) very, which is neutral.

這傷貴矣。
tse siunn kuì --ahche siuⁿ kùi --ahtse1 siunn1 kui3 --ah4
This is too expensive.
傷細矣。
siunn sè --ahsiuⁿ sè --ahsiunn1 se3 --ah4
It's too small.

In the course

Sentences from Lingora’s Taiwanese Hokkien course

35 of the course's 500 sentences use this, the first in lesson 84. A few of them, with the words “Comparison with 較 and 上” is about in bold:

去灶跤看覓。傷細矣。
khì tsàu-kha khuànn-māi. siunn sè --ah.khì chàu-kha khoàⁿ-māi. siuⁿ sè --ah.khi3 tsau3-kha1 khuann3-mai7. siunn1 se3 --ah4.
Go and check out (pl.) the kitchen. It is so small.
Lesson 322
我希望你會當較儉一寡。
guá hi-bāng lí ē-tàng khah khiām tsi̍t-kuá.góa hi-bāng lí ē-tàng khah khiām chi̍t-kóa.gua2 hi1-bang7 li2 e7-tang3 khah4 khiam7 tsit8-kua2.
I wish you were more frugal.
Lesson 328
我愛摒便所。傷垃圾矣。
guá ài piànn piān-sóo. siunn lah-sap --ah.góa ài piàⁿ piān-só͘. siuⁿ lah-sap --ah.gua2 ai3 piann3 pian7-soo2. siunn1 lah4-sap4 --ah4.
I need to clean the toilet. It is too dirty.
Lesson 469

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