Use _dan_ for "than": _Daan is groter dan Bas_ means "Daan is taller than Bas". For "as ... as", use _net zo ... als_ or _even ... als_: _Daan is net zo groot als Bas_. And "different from" is _anders dan_.
The pattern
Use _dan_ for "than" after a comparative (the _-er_ form, like _groter_, bigger) and in _anders dan_ (different from). For "as ... as", use _zo ... als_ or _even ... als_.
- _groter dan_, _duurder dan_, _beter dan_: bigger than, more expensive than, better than
- _meer dan_, _minder dan_, _liever ... dan_: more than, less than, rather ... than
- _(net) zo groot als_: (just) as big as; _net_ adds "just" or "exactly"
- _even groot als_: as big as; this _even_ means "equally", not "for a moment"
- _niet zo groot als_: not as big as
- _anders dan_: different from
Examples
| Daan is groter dan Bas. | Daan is taller than Bas. |
|---|---|
| De trein is sneller dan de bus. | The train is faster than the bus. |
| De supermarkt is vandaag drukker dan normaal. | The supermarket is busier than usual today. |
| Priya heeft meer vrije dagen dan Ahmed. | Priya has more days off than Ahmed. |
| Ik drink liever thee dan koffie. | I would rather drink tea than coffee. |
| Het is vandaag net zo koud als gisteren. | Today it is just as cold as yesterday. |
| Fatima is even oud als haar buurvrouw. | Fatima is as old as her neighbour. |
| Mei fietst net zo snel als Carlos. | Mei cycles just as fast as Carlos. |
| Mijn fiets is niet zo nieuw als die van Joris. | My bike is not as new as Joris's bike. |
| Het leven hier is anders dan in Spanje. | Life here is different from life in Spain. |
Why it works this way
You compare things all day: prices, the weather, the train and the bus. Dutch splits this job in two.
_Dan_ goes with difference. Words like _groter_, _meer_, _liever_ and _anders_ already tell you the two sides are not the same, and _dan_ brings in the other side. _Als_ goes with sameness. It is also the word for "as" in _Ik werk als kok_ (I work as a cook), so _zo groot als_ maps neatly onto "as big as".
- _Sanne is groter dan Yara._ They are different heights.
- _Sanne is net zo groot als Yara._ They are the same height.
In casual speech you will hear _groter als_ and _beter als_ a lot, also from people born here. Understand it, but in standard Dutch, in emails and in exams, use _dan_ after a comparative. If you speak German, take extra care: German "größer als" is Dutch _groter dan_, and German "so groß wie" is Dutch _zo groot als_.
To build the _-er_ forms, see [Comparatives: groter, mooier, duurder](#/lesson/comparatives). _Als_ also means "if" or "when", a different job covered in [Als, wanneer or toen](#/lesson/als-wanneer-toen).
Remember: _dan_ for different, _als_ for alike. In a comparison, the word in front decides: a comparative or _anders_ takes _dan_, while _zo_ or _even_ takes _als_. That is why _niet zo duur als_ keeps its _als_, even though it describes a difference.
Watch out
- Not: _Lotte is ouder als Sanne._ Say: _Lotte is ouder dan Sanne._ (common in casual speech, but standard Dutch uses _dan_ after a comparative)
- Not: _Joris is langer dan mij._ Say: _Joris is langer dan ik._ (standard Dutch uses _ik_ here, as in _dan ik ben_)
- Not: _Emma is net zo lang zoals haar vader._ Say: _Emma is net zo lang als haar vader._ (_zoals_ means "like" or "such as"; "as ... as" is _zo ... als_)
- Not: _Dit huis is anders van ons oude huis._ Say: _Dit huis is anders dan ons oude huis._ (English says "different from", Dutch says _anders dan_)
Quick check
- Fill in the gap: _De bus is langzamer ... de trein._
- Fill in the gap: _Mijn kamer is net zo groot ... jouw kamer._
- Choose: _Werken in Nederland is anders (als / dan) werken in India._
- Fix the sentence: _Ahmed fietst sneller als zijn broer._
Answers
- _dan_: _langzamer_ is a comparative.
- _als_: "just as big as" is _net zo groot als_.
- _dan_: "different from" is _anders dan_.
- _Ahmed fietst sneller dan zijn broer._ Standard Dutch uses _dan_ after _sneller_.
Use it today
Choose two things you know well, like two cities, two supermarkets or your old and new job. Say or write three sentences: one with _-er dan_, one with _net zo ... als_ and one with _anders dan_, for example _Utrecht is kleiner dan Amsterdam_.