Comparatives in Dutch

Overview

Comparatives (vergrotende trap) allow you to compare two things, saying that one has more of a quality than the other. In Dutch, comparatives are formed by adding -er to the adjective, much like English ("tall" becomes "taller"). The word dan ("than") is used to complete the comparison.

At the A2 level, comparatives are essential for everyday communication. You need them to express preferences, make choices, and describe differences: "This book is more interesting," "She is taller than me," "I need more time." The good news is that Dutch comparatives are generally simpler than English ones -- there is no split between "-er" forms and "more + adjective" as in English. Almost all Dutch adjectives simply take -er.

There are a handful of irregular comparatives you need to memorize, plus some spelling rules to watch for. Once you have those down, comparatives become straightforward.

How It Works

Regular Formation

Add -er to the adjective:

Adjective	Comparative	English
groot (big)	groter	bigger
klein (small)	kleiner	smaller
mooi (beautiful)	mooier	more beautiful
oud (old)	ouder	older
lang (long/tall)	langer	taller/longer
duur (expensive)	duurder	more expensive
snel (fast)	sneller	faster
interessant (interesting)	interessanter	more interesting

Spelling Rules

Some adjectives require spelling adjustments when adding -er:

Rule	Example	Explanation
Double vowel shortens	groot → groter	oo becomes o before -ter
Single consonant after short vowel doubles	dun → dunner	Keeps the vowel short
-s becomes -z-	vies → viezer	Between vowels, s voices to z
-f becomes -v-	lief → liever	Between vowels, f voices to v
-r ending: just add -der	duur → duurder	Avoids double -r-er

Irregular Comparatives

These must be memorized:

Adjective	Comparative	English
goed (good)	beter	better
veel (much/many)	meer	more
weinig (few/little)	minder	less/fewer
graag (gladly)	liever	rather

Making Comparisons with Dan

Use dan ("than") to complete the comparison:

Hij is groter dan ik. (He is taller than me.) Dit boek is duurder dan dat boek. (This book is more expensive than that book.)

Comparatives as Attributive Adjectives

When a comparative adjective comes before a noun, it follows the normal adjective inflection rules -- add -e as usual:

een grotere auto (a bigger car) het mooiere huis (the more beautiful house) een betere idee (a better idea)

Expressing Equality: Net zo ... als

To say something is "as ... as," use net zo + adjective + als:

Hij is net zo groot als ik. (He is as tall as me.) Dit is net zo duur als dat. (This is as expensive as that.)

Expressing Increasing Degree

Use steeds + comparative to express "more and more":

Het wordt steeds kouder. (It's getting colder and colder.) De dagen worden steeds langer. (The days are getting longer and longer.)

Examples in Context

Dutch	English	Note
Hij is groter dan ik.	He is taller than me.	Regular comparative + dan
Dit boek is interessanter.	This book is more interesting.	No "more" needed in Dutch
Zij zingt beter dan hij.	She sings better than him.	Irregular: goed → beter
Ik heb meer tijd nodig.	I need more time.	Irregular: veel → meer
De rode auto is sneller dan de blauwe.	The red car is faster than the blue one.	Comparing two things
Het is vandaag kouder dan gisteren.	It's colder today than yesterday.	Weather comparison
Ik drink liever thee dan koffie.	I prefer tea over coffee.	Irregular: graag → liever
Zij heeft een grotere tuin.	She has a bigger garden.	Attributive: groter + e
Dit restaurant is goedkoper.	This restaurant is cheaper.	Regular comparative
Het wordt steeds drukker.	It's getting busier and busier.	Increasing degree

Common Mistakes

Using Meer with Regular Adjectives

• Wrong: Dit boek is meer interessant.
• Right: Dit boek is interessanter.
• Why: Unlike English, Dutch does not use meer (more) with long adjectives. Just add -er.

Forgetting Spelling Changes

• Wrong: Het is grootter dan...
• Right: Het is groter dan...
• Why: When adding -er, the double vowel oo reduces to o because the syllable is now open (gro-ter).

Using Als Instead of Dan

• Wrong: Hij is groter als ik.
• Right: Hij is groter dan ik.
• Why: For comparisons ("than"), use dan. Als means "as" (in equality: net zo groot als) or "if/when." Note: using als instead of dan is common in spoken Dutch but considered incorrect in standard writing.

Wrong Irregular Form

• Wrong: goeder (instead of beter)
• Right: beter
• Why: Goed, veel, weinig, and graag have irregular comparative forms that must be memorized.

Usage Notes

In spoken Dutch, particularly in the Netherlands, you will frequently hear als used instead of dan in comparisons (groter als instead of groter dan). While very common in speech, this is considered incorrect in standard written Dutch. In formal writing and exams, always use dan.

The comparative system is the same in the Netherlands and Belgium, with no regional differences in formation. However, Belgian Dutch may use certain comparative expressions more frequently, such as allesbehalve (anything but) for emphasis.

Practice Tips

• Compare things around you: Look at objects in the room and make comparative sentences: De tafel is groter dan de stoel. Mijn telefoon is duurder dan mijn horloge. This makes the grammar physical and immediate.
• Drill the irregulars: Write goed-beter, veel-meer, weinig-minder, graag-liever on a card and test yourself daily until they are automatic.
• Practice spelling changes: Take ten adjectives and write their comparative forms, paying attention to vowel and consonant changes. Check yourself against a dictionary.

Related Concepts

• Prerequisite: Adjective Inflection — you need to know how adjectives are inflected before nouns, as comparatives follow the same rules with an added -e
• Next steps: Superlatives — the next degree of comparison, expressing "the most" or "the -est"