〜に比べて: 'Compared To' (Making a Comparison)
Naming the baseline for a comparison
に比べて sets up a reference point, then the rest of the sentence tells you how something stacks up against it — bigger, smaller, hotter, slower, and so on.
去年に比べて、今年は暑い。
きょねんに くらべて、ことしは あつい。
Compared to last year, this year is hot.
去年 (last year) is the baseline being measured against.
電車に比べて、バスは遅い。
でんしゃに くらべて、バスは おそい。
Compared to the train, the bus is slow.
モチに比べて、やったんはよく食べる。
モチに くらべて、やったんは よく たべる。
Compared to Mochi, Yattan eats a lot.
Mochi is the baseline; Yattan is measured against him.
Form: 名詞 + に比べて
に比べて attaches directly to a noun — the thing being used as the point of reference. A shorter, slightly more literary variant drops the て: に比べ.
| What you attach to | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun (baseline) | 名詞 + に比べて | 去年に比べて（今年は暑い） |
| Literary/written variant | 名詞 + に比べ | 都市部に比べ、地方は人口が少ない |
| Clause (nominalized) | 動詞普通形＋の + に比べて | 歩くのに比べて、走るのは疲れる |
歩くのに比べて、走るのは疲れる。
あるくのに くらべて、はしるのは つかれる。
Compared to walking, running is tiring.
の nominalizes the verb so it can be the baseline noun.
に比べて vs と比べて: same meaning, different feel
Both mean "compared to." に比べて is the standard, slightly more common choice and pairs naturally with a following description (今年は暑い). と比べて emphasizes two things being set side by side as equal partners, and reads a touch more neutral/analytical — common in reports and data comparisons.
先月と比べて、売り上げは10％増加した。
せんげつと くらべて、うりあげは じゅっぱーせんと ぞうかした。
Compared with last month, sales increased by 10%.
と比べて suits numerical, side-by-side comparisons.
The short version
- 〜に比べて = "compared to / in comparison with" — names the baseline for a comparison.
- Attaches to: a noun (or a nominalized clause with の).
- Nuance/register: neutral, everyday and written; literary short form is に比べ.
- Don't confuse with: と比べて (same core meaning, slightly more analytical/side-by-side feel, common in data comparisons).
Practice it
Choose に比べて to introduce the baseline of a comparison.
＿＿＿に入れるのに最もよいものを選びなさい。
＿＿＿、今年は暑い。
Where 〜に比べて fits
Shaky on this? Get these solid first
- 〜に行く · N5 — 〜に行く/来る/帰る says you go, come, or return somewhere to do something. Learn the ます-stem + に pattern, suru-nouns like 買い物に行く, and how to mark the place.
- 〜てください · N5 — 〜てください is the standard way to politely ask someone to do something ('please do…'). Learn the formation, the negative 〜ないでください, softer variations, and see clear examples.
- 〜より / 〜のほうが · N5 — より means 'than' and のほうが marks the bigger side: BよりAのほうが高い = 'A is taller than B.' Learn both frames, how to answer どちらが questions, and word order.
More N2 grammar to explore
Keep going with related patterns at the same level:
- 〜というより — 〜というより means 'rather than say [X], it's more accurate to say...' — it corrects or refines a description someone might expect. Often used to swap a first impression for a more precise word.
- 〜限り — 〜限り marks the outer limit of something — 'as long as / as far as ~ is concerned' when attached to a clause with に関する限り(では), or 'every last bit of' in set phrases like あらん限り. Both readings trace back to 限る, 'to be limited to.'
- 〜ては — 〜ては attaches to the て-form and links to a following verb to describe a repeating back-and-forth cycle — 食べては寝る生活 ('a life of eating then sleeping, over and over'). It can also mark an undesirable 'if X, then Y' consequence.
- 〜からには — 〜からには means 'now that... / since...' — given a decision or situation is already true, the speaker draws a strong obligation or determined conclusion from it. Attaches after the plain form of a verb; the main clause carries duty, resolve, or advice.
- 〜のも当然だ — 〜のも当然だ attaches to a plain-form clause to mean 'it's only natural that…' or 'no wonder…'. It frames an outcome as an obvious, expected consequence of a stated cause, not a surprise.
- 〜一方で — 〜一方で adds a contrasting side to what you just said, or names a second action happening alongside the first — like 'on the other hand' or 'while also.' Attaches after a plain-form verb, adjective, or noun+である.