Comparison: πιο φτηνό από αυτό
The comparative in Greek is assembled from three bricks, exactly like "more expensive than" in English: πιο (more), then the quality itself, then από — "than". For example: “Αυτό είναι πιο φτηνό από το άλλο” — This is cheaper than that one. A rule from the Greek course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
The comparative in Greek is assembled from three bricks, exactly like "more expensive than" in English: πιο (more), then the quality itself, then από (apó) — "than".
Αυτό είναι πιο φτηνό από το άλλο (aftó íne pio ftinó apó to álo) — this one is cheaper than the other. After από the word takes the accusative, and this is the only spot where a mistake is possible: not από το άλλο (apó to álo) out of nominative habit but precisely the accusative — the two coincide in the neuter and do not in the masculine: πιο ακριβός από τον γείτονα (pio akrivós apó ton yítona).
There is a second way, bookish and short — the ending -τερος: ακριβότερος instead of πιο ακριβός (pio akrivós). In speech it sounds dry, but in ads and on price tags it is constant, and it must be understood.
The superlative is the same thing with the article: ο πιο ακριβός (o pio akrivós) — the most expensive. And when there is nothing to compare with and you just want "very", use πολύ (polí): πολύ ακριβό (polí akrivó).
Sameness is built with the pair τόσο (tóso) … όσο (óso): Είναι τόσο φρέσκο όσο χθες (íne tóso frésko óso khthes) — as fresh as yesterday.
Table
| word | comparative | in English |
|---|---|---|
| καλός | καλύτερος | better |
| κακός | χειρότερος | worse |
| πολύς | περισσότερος | more (in amount) |
| λίγος | λιγότερος | less (in amount) |
| μεγάλος | μεγαλύτερος | bigger, older |
| μικρός | μικρότερος | smaller, younger |
By example
- Αυτό είναι πιο φτηνό από το άλλοaftó íne pio ftinó apó to áloThis is cheaper than that one
- Τα φρούτα εδώ είναι πιο φρέσκαta frúta edó íne pio fréskaThe fruit is fresher here
- Δώστε μου ένα μεγαλύτερο μέγεθοςdóste mu éna megalítero méyethosGive me a bigger size
How the rule settles in your head
A rule is not memorized from an explanation. It is memorized from an attempt to use it and a mistake — that is why the app delivers it mixed in with words, not as a separate lesson: it resurfaces exactly where you forgot it.
Frequently asked
How to say more expensive than in Greek?
The comparative in Greek is assembled from three bricks, exactly like "more expensive than" in English: πιο (more), then the quality itself, then από — "than".
Πιο ακριβός vs ακριβότερος?
Αυτό είναι πιο φτηνό από το άλλο — this one is cheaper than the other. After από the word takes the accusative, and this is the only spot where a mistake is possible: not από το άλλο out of nominative habit but precisely the accusative — the two coincide in the neuter and do not in the masculine…
Which case after από in a Greek comparison?
There is a second way, bookish and short — the ending -τερος: ακριβότερος instead of πιο ακριβός. In speech it sounds dry, but in ads and on price tags it is constant, and it must be understood.
How to say the most expensive in Greek?
The superlative is the same thing with the article: ο πιο ακριβός — the most expensive. And when there is nothing to compare with and you just want "very", use πολύ: πολύ ακριβό.
What does it look like in an example sentence Greek?
“Αυτό είναι πιο φτηνό από το άλλο” (aftó íne pio ftinó apó to álo) — This is cheaper than that one. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.