Comparing people
Say two people are the same, that one beats the other, or that one falls short
Say two people are the same, that one beats the other, or that one falls short. Work through clear examples, then lock it in with interactive Cantonese practice in the YumCha app.
Comparing people
Now that you can describe how people look, let's line two of them up. Cantonese has three handy frames: one says they are **the same**, one says one person **beats** the other, and one says one person **falls short**. Let's see how they work.
Same, more than, not as
A 同 B 一樣 (same) ・ A adj 過 B (more) ・ A 冇 B 咁 adj (less)
To say two people are alike, put 同 (as, with) between them and 一樣 at the end: 佢同我一樣高 (he is as tall as me). To say one beats the other, put the adjective then 過: 佢高過我 (he is taller than me). To say one falls short, put 冇 before the person you are compared with and 咁 right before the adjective: 我冇佢咁高 (I am not as tall as him).
Is your older brother as tall as you?
Yes, we are the same height.
He is taller than me, but I am thinner than him.
My younger sister is not as tall as me, she is a lot shorter than me.
Comparing people
Three frames cover it. Put **as ... with** around two people and **same** at the end to say they match. Add **more than** right after the adjective to say one beats the other. Put **not** before the other person and **as** right before the adjective to say one falls short. Now you can size people up out loud.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Comparing people lesson free?
Yes. This Cantonese lesson is free to read online, with romanization and meanings for every word. In the YumCha app, your first lesson is free to try, and vocabulary practice, flashcards, and the dictionary stay free. A subscription unlocks the full interactive lesson path.
What romanization is used?
Both Jyutping and Yale, and you can switch between them. The romanization sits above every word, so you always know the pronunciation.
Do I need to read Chinese characters to start?
No. Romanization sits above every character and audio plays each word, so you can start speaking from your first lesson.