Identify the two sides of a comparison
A comparison needs a thing being described and a standard against which it is described. In the room example, this room is the main subject; that room is the comparison standard. The standard takes से, while the adjective stays with the subject’s description.
Reversing the two rooms reverses the claim. If room A is larger than room B, it does not follow that B is larger than A. Before selecting an ending, point to the item whose size, price, or age you intend to describe. This prevents a sentence that is grammatically correct but factually opposite to your message.
A comparison also depends on the property being measured. A bag can be cheaper but heavier, and a room can be larger but darker. If you merely say this one is better, the listener may not know which property matters. The examples name size, price, or height to make the claim testable. In your own production, state the relevant property and keep it the same when reversing the comparison. Switching from cheaper to smaller would introduce a different fact rather than restate the original one. This distinction helps you evaluate meaning independently of whether the sentence has correct endings.
यह कमरा उस कमरे से बड़ा है।
This room is bigger than that room.
यह किताब उस किताब से सस्ती है।
This book is cheaper than that book.
Keep adjective agreement with the main noun
Hindi usually uses an ordinary adjective in this construction rather than adding an equivalent of English er. A change such as बड़ा to बड़ी reflects noun agreement, not the comparative degree. The comparison standard can have a different gender without changing that controller.
For feminine किताब, use महँगी even when the standard is masculine अख़बार, newspaper. For masculine plural rooms, use बड़े and plural हैं. Some adjectives, including सुंदर and आसान, do not change their endings; do not invent an inflected version just because another adjective changes.
यह किताब उस अख़बार से महँगी है।
This book is more expensive than that newspaper.
ये कमरे उस कमरे से बड़े हैं।
These rooms are bigger than that room.
Put the standard into its oblique form
Because से is a postposition, the preceding phrase takes an oblique form where that form is visible. वह कमरा becomes उस कमरे से. A masculine adjective in that phrase also changes: उस छोटे कमरे से. The main subject stays in its own form.
Pronouns have their own forms, including मुझसे, than me, and आपसे, than you respectfully. These are not new possessive forms. Learn the phrase as a relation between two items; translating se with one fixed English word would miss its other uses, including from and with.
यह कमरा उस छोटे कमरे से बड़ा है।
This room is bigger than that small room.
रीना मुझसे लंबी है।
Reena is taller than me.
Build the comparison standard
Compare this large room with that small room.
- The standard is that small room, not the subject.
- Before से, change it to उस छोटे कमरे.
- Describe the subject with masculine singular बड़ा है.
यह कमरा उस छोटे कमरे से बड़ा है।
Express a smaller degree carefully
A positive comparison such as more expensive can use the ordinary adjective with a se standard; ज़्यादा can make the greater degree explicit. To say less expensive, use कम महँगा or its agreeing form. Do not leave out less and expect the listener to infer the opposite direction.
Check the logic of a chosen adjective. Less tall means shorter, but less thin means not as thin, not thinner. When a source translation or a quick English gloss conflicts with this logic, reason from the Hindi degree expression and the actual context. The examples here use prices to keep the comparison visible.
The greater degree does not have to be large. A comparative can describe a small difference, while a word such as much or a little can qualify its size. The core relation still compares the same subject with the same standard. Begin with the unqualified comparison and add degree language only after that relation is clear. Avoid treating an adjective as an absolute ranking across every situation: easier might mean easier for one learner or for one task. A useful comparison gives enough context to explain which alternatives and which property the speaker has in mind.
यह बैग उस बैग से कम महँगा है।
This bag is less expensive than that bag.
यह रास्ता उस रास्ते से ज़्यादा आसान है।
This route is easier than that route.
Give a superlative a sensible group
सबसे marks the greatest degree among the relevant alternatives. A sentence about the cheapest book needs a set of books, such as the three on a table. It need not make a claim about every book in existence. Naming the group keeps the information useful and credible.
The adjective still agrees with the thing being described. सबसे सस्ती किताब has feminine agreement because book is feminine. A plural subject uses its own agreement, although many practical superlative choices single out one item. Avoid adding se after a single named standard when you mean a superlative over a set.
Superlative claims can be misleading when the comparison group is left unstated. In a shopping exercise, cheapest among these three books is a bounded claim that follows from three supplied prices. Cheapest book in the city would require much more information. The grammar can form either sentence, but the evidence needed for the statements differs. This lesson uses small invented sets so learners can reason about the language and the facts together. When two items tie for the lowest price, a claim identifying only one as uniquely cheapest needs qualification; the form itself does not resolve a tie.
इन तीन किताबों में यह सबसे सस्ती है।
Among these three books, this one is the cheapest.
हमारे समूह में रीना सबसे लंबी है।
In our group, Reena is the tallest.
Ask a comparison question and give usable information
Use कौन सा, कौन सी, or कौन से to ask which item fits a description, agreeing with the noun. A comparison question can offer two alternatives explicitly. The answer should name the item, not merely repeat the adjective, if the listener cannot tell which object you mean.
A preference and a measurement are different claims. You can prefer a larger bag even when a smaller one is cheaper. Use पसंद if you want to report preference rather than pretending the price comparison proves what someone likes. Keep a past comparison in the past by using the appropriate form of be.
कौन सी किताब सस्ती है?
Which book is cheaper or inexpensive, depending on the alternatives?
पुराना कमरा नए कमरे से छोटा था।
The old room was smaller than the new room.
References for this explanation
Practice the direction before the ending
Imagine two bags with stated prices, then choose a sentence that reports the relationship correctly. First determine which bag is cheaper. Next select the main subject and the se standard. Finally check the noun phrase before se, the adjective, and the auxiliary.
In the challenge, an answer can fail because its agreement is wrong or because it reverses the intended comparison. Treat those as different errors. For production, use imaginary prices and dimensions rather than unsupported claims about real cities or people. Cover the model and explain how changing the subject changes both meaning and form.
नीला बैग लाल बैग से सस्ता है।
The blue bag is cheaper than the red bag.
लाल बैग नीले बैग से महँगा है।
The red bag is more expensive than the blue bag.
Reverse a price comparison
The blue bag is cheaper than the red bag. Describe the red bag instead.
- Move the red bag into subject position.
- The blue bag becomes the standard, so use नीले बैग से.
- Change cheaper to more expensive to preserve the information.
Compare your reasoning
लाल बैग नीले बैग से महँगा है।
Notice the difference
Common mistakes
Keep the subject’s gender
Instead ofयह किताब उस बैग से महँगा है।
For this meaningयह किताब उस बैग से महँगी है।
The adjective describes the feminine book.
Use an oblique standard
Instead ofयह कमरा वह कमरा से बड़ा है।
For this meaningयह कमरा उस कमरे से बड़ा है।
The phrase before से needs the oblique demonstrative and noun.
Do not confuse than with the superlative
Instead ofरीना मुझसे सबसे लंबी है।
For this meaningरीना मुझसे लंबी है।
For the intended simple comparison with me, use से without adding सबसे.
Make the plural auxiliary agree
Instead ofये कमरे बड़े है।
For this meaningये कमरे बड़े हैं।
The plural subject requires हैं.
From understanding to using
Make your own example.
Try these without answer choices. Say your answer aloud or write it below, then compare your reasoning with the model.
Your turn 1
A blue bag costs 200 and a red bag costs 300 in an imaginary shop. Write the comparison in both directions, using cheaper and more expensive.
Compare with a model
नीला बैग लाल बैग से सस्ता है। लाल बैग नीले बैग से महँगा है।
The blue bag is cheaper than the red bag. The red bag is more expensive than the blue bag.
Reversing the subject requires a corresponding reversal of the adjective’s meaning.
- Did both sentences match the given prices?
- Did the blue adjective become नीले before से when it was the standard?
Your turn 2
Among three books, identify this one as the cheapest. Then ask which book your listener likes.
Compare with a model
इन तीन किताबों में यह सबसे सस्ती है। आपको कौन सी किताब पसंद है?
This is the cheapest of these three books. Which book do you like?
The first claim names a comparison group. The second asks about preference rather than assuming it from price.
- Did the group phrase use an oblique plural?
- Did कौन सी agree with book?
Put it into practice
Make the next choice.
Choose a response and learn why it works. Your score reflects your first answer to each question. You can revisit anything you miss.
Choose an answer, then open the explanation to check your reasoning.
Question 1
This room is larger. Select the comparison marker.
यह कमरा उस कमरे ___ बड़ा है।
- से
- को
Check the answer
Answer: से
से: The second room is the comparison standard.
को: This marks a different relation, not than in this construction.
Question 2
The book is the main subject.
यह किताब उस बैग से ___ है।
- महँगा
- महँगी
Check the answer
Answer: महँगी
महँगा: The bag is only the standard and does not control the adjective.
महँगी: The adjective agrees with the feminine book.
Question 3
Describe several rooms.
ये कमरे उस कमरे से बड़े ___।
- हैं
- है
Check the answer
Answer: हैं
हैं: The main subject is plural.
है: This would be singular auxiliary agreement.
Question 4
Complete the oblique noun phrase.
यह कमरा उस छोटे ___ से बड़ा है।
- कमरा
- कमरे
Check the answer
Answer: कमरे
कमरा: This is the direct singular form.
कमरे: The postposition requires the oblique form.
Question 5
Choose than me.
रीना ___ लंबी है।
- मुझसे
- मैंसे
Check the answer
Answer: मुझसे
मुझसे: This combines the oblique first person form with से.
मैंसे: The direct pronoun cannot be joined this way.
Question 6
Choose an adjective that stays unchanged for a feminine noun.
यह किताब ___ है।
- सुंदरी
- सुंदर
Check the answer
Answer: सुंदर
सुंदरी: That is not the adjective form needed in this sentence.
सुंदर: This adjective does not take an invented feminine ending.
Question 7
Say less expensive.
यह बैग ___ महँगा है।
- कम
- ज़्यादा
Check the answer
Answer: कम
कम: Less reduces the degree of expense.
ज़्यादा: This increases the degree instead.
Question 8
What does कम लंबा mean in a height comparison?
- Taller
- Not as tall
Check the answer
Answer: Not as tall
Taller: That reverses the comparison.
Not as tall: कम reduces the degree expressed by tall.
Question 9
Choose the superlative marker.
इन किताबों में यह ___ सस्ती है।
- सबसे
- कब
Check the answer
Answer: सबसे
सबसे: This compares one book against the relevant group.
कब: This asks when and cannot express the degree.
Question 10
Complete among these books.
इन ___ में यह सबसे सस्ती है।
- किताबें
- किताबों
Check the answer
Answer: किताबों
किताबें: This is the direct plural form.
किताबों: The plural noun is oblique before में.
Question 11
Ask which feminine book is cheaper.
___ किताब सस्ती है?
- कौन सी
- कौन सा
Check the answer
Answer: कौन सी
कौन सी: The which phrase agrees with किताब.
कौन सा: This is masculine singular agreement.
Question 12
Describe a past comparison with a masculine room.
पुराना कमरा छोटा ___।
- थी
- था
Check the answer
Answer: था
थी: This would be feminine singular agreement.
था: This matches masculine singular past agreement.
Question 13
The blue bag costs 200; the red bag costs 300. Choose the accurate statement.
- नीला बैग लाल बैग से सस्ता है।
- लाल बैग नीले बैग से सस्ता है।
Check the answer
Answer: नीला बैग लाल बैग से सस्ता है।
नीला बैग लाल बैग से सस्ता है।: The blue bag has the lower stated price.
लाल बैग नीले बैग से सस्ता है।: This reverses the stated prices.
Question 14
Choose a statement of preference.
- नीला बैग सस्ता है।
- मुझे नीला बैग पसंद है।
Check the answer
Answer: मुझे नीला बैग पसंद है।
नीला बैग सस्ता है।: A low price alone does not state the speaker’s preference.
मुझे नीला बैग पसंद है।: This reports what the speaker likes.
Keep the conversation going
What to practice next
Compare three imaginary objects using two different properties. Revisit the sentences later and reverse one comparison without changing its truth.
By Loquus ·
Sources
- Rajiv Ranjan, Michigan State University: Degrees of adjectives
- University of Minnesota Hindi Urdu: Adjectives and comparison
- University of Texas at Austin: Hindi Skeleton Grammar
- Rajiv Ranjan, Michigan State University: Adjective agreement
- Rajiv Ranjan, Michigan State University: Gender and number
- Rajiv Ranjan, Michigan State University: Personal pronouns and forms of to be
- Rajiv Ranjan, Michigan State University: Oblique forms
- Rajiv Ranjan, Michigan State University: Postpositions and their meanings
- Rajiv Ranjan, Michigan State University: Question words
- Rajiv Ranjan, Michigan State University: Experiencers with ko
- Rajiv Ranjan, Michigan State University: Past forms of to be
- University of Texas at Austin: Hindi grammar reference
Learning research behind the practice
Worked examples, retrieval practice, and later review inform the activities. These studies do not establish the effectiveness of this specific lesson.