Asking and Answering Comparative Questions
Do you like reading or writing better? Do you prefer to sing or to dance? Is the meaning of life to have fun, or to learn as much as you can?
WOAH
That’s too many questions, but let’s learn how to answer and ask questions like those in Japanese (except for the one about the meaning of life, no one knows how to answer that)
ところで!もし私の最も最近のポストを見なかった場合、ここにリンクがあります!
So, let’s learn how to ask comparative questions first. Here’s the formula for that
AとBとどちらの方がXですか? → Which is more X, A or B?
例:
Q1:田中さんと山田さんとどちらの方が可愛いだと思いますか?
たなかさんとやまださんとどちらのほうがかわいいだと思いますか?
Which do you think is cuter, Tanaka or Yamada?
Q2:本と映画とどちらの方が好きですか?
ほんとえいがとどちらのほうがすきですか?
Do you like books or movies better?
Q3:書くことと読むこととどちらの方が上手ですか?
かくこととよむこととどちらのほうがじょうずですか?
Are you better at writing or reading?
*Q4:左側と右側とどちらの方が座りたいですか?
*ひだりがわとみぎがわとどちらのほうがすわりたいですか?
Which side do you want to sit on, the left or the right?
* I think you might use に here instead of が but I need to look further into that.
Now we know how to ask these questions, but let's learn how to answer them. Here’s the formula!
A/Bの方が(B /Aより)Xです。→ A/B is more X than B/A.
It is not requirement for you to say the portion that is in parenthesis, as it is already implied
we’ll practice by answering the questions from above.
Q1: 田中さんの方が(山田さんより)可愛いだと思っている。
たなかさんのほうが(やまださんより)かわいいだとおもっている。
I think that Tanaka is cuter (than Yamada).
Q2:本の方が(映画より)好きです。
ほんのほうが(えいがより)すきです。
I like books better (than movies).
Q3:多分読むことの方が(書くことより)上手でしょう。
たぶんよむことのほうが(かくことより)じょうずでしょう。
I am probably better at reading (than I am at writing).
Q4:えっと、左側の方が(右側より)座りたいです。
えっと、ひだりがわのほうが(みぎがわより)すわりたいです。
Uhm, I want to sit on the left side (rather than the right).
Alright! Now it’s time for us to all go and practice what we have learned!
Feel free to post your example sentences too, and reblog so that all of our fellow Japanese learners can do some studying too!











