"than" in seven languages
Meaningthan
Spanish
que
/ke/
inherited
Before a number: de (más de diez).
French
que
/kə/
inherited
Qu' before a vowel: plus grand qu'elle.
Italian
di
/di/
other source · Latin DĒ 'from, of'
Before nouns and pronouns; che before adjectives, verbs and prepositions: più bello che utile.
Portuguese
que
/ki/
inherited
Usually do que: mais alto do que eu.
Romanian
ca
/ka/
inherited
From QUAM, the clearest heir in the family; decât is a synonym.
Catalan
que
/kə/
inherited
English
than
/ðæn/
native English · Old English þanne
Originally the same word as then.
English → ItalianthandiNot relatedDifferent sources — learn this one fresh.What English and Italian share
The Latin ancestor
QUAM‘than, as’
All six sisters descend from it, unless marked otherwise below.
The story
Latin compared with QUAM, which in Spanish and French blended into the all-purpose que 'that'. Italian compares with 'of' (di) before a noun or pronoun.
Learn it
In a sentence
- esMi hermano es más alto que yo.
- frMon frère est plus grand que moi.
- itMio fratello è più alto di me.
- ptMeu irmão é mais alto do que eu.
- roFratele meu e mai înalt ca mine.
- caEl meu germà és més alt que jo.
- enMy brother is taller than me.