When you want to compare two things in Japanese, one of the most natural and commonly used expressions is 〜に比べて.
You’ll hear it often in daily conversations, news, and casual opinions.

In this post, we’ll break down how 〜に比べて works, what it means, and how to use it naturally with clear examples.

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What does 〜に比べて mean?

〜に比べて means:

• Compared to
• In comparison with

It’s used to show a difference or contrast between two things.

📌 The speaker usually focuses on how A is different from B, often highlighting:

• Degree (more / less)
• Change over time
• Personal impressions

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Basic sentence structure

A は B に比べて + adjective / description

• A = the thing you’re talking about
• B = the standard of comparison

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Simple examples

1️⃣ この町は東京に比べて静かです。
This town is quiet compared to Tokyo.

2️⃣ 去年に比べて日本語が上手になりました。
My Japanese has improved compared to last year.

3️⃣ 昔に比べて物価が高くなりました。
Prices have become higher compared to the past.

➡️ Very common in daily conversation!

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Using 〜に比べて with adjectives

You can use both い-adjectives and な-adjectives.

い-adjective

• 日本は私の国に比べて安全です。
  Japan is safe compared to my country.

な-adjective

• このレストランはあそこに比べて有名です。
  This restaurant is famous compared to that one.

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Using 〜に比べて with verbs

You can also use it with verbs to talk about changes or actions.

4️⃣ 昔に比べてよく旅行するようになりました。
I travel more often compared to before.

5️⃣ 子どものころに比べて早起きになりました。
Compared to when I was a child, I wake up earlier now.

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〜に比べて vs 〜より

Learners often confuse に比べて and より.
Here’s a simple difference:

〜より

• Direct comparison
• Often shorter and more objective

👉 東京より大阪のほうが安い。
Osaka is cheaper than Tokyo.

〜に比べて

• Broader comparison
• Often subjective or descriptive
• Common for time comparisons

👉 東京に比べて大阪は住みやすいです。
Compared to Tokyo, Osaka is easier to live in.

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Very common patterns you’ll hear

• 昔に比べて (compared to the past)
• 去年に比べて (compared to last year)
• 前に比べて (compared to before)
• 他の国に比べて (compared to other countries)

These are extremely natural in spoken Japanese.

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Mini conversation example

A: 日本の生活はどう？
How is life in Japan?

B: 自分の国に比べて便利ですね。
Compared to my country, it’s convenient.

A: そうだよね。特に電車が便利。
Yeah, especially the trains.

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Common mistake to avoid ⚠️

❌ 東京と大阪に比べて…
(Incorrect mixing of と and に比べて)

✅ 東京に比べて大阪は…
✅ 東京と大阪を比べると…

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Summary

• 〜に比べて = compared to / in comparison with
• Used for:
  • Differences
  • Changes over time
  • Personal impressions
• Very natural in daily conversation
• Often used with time words like 昔・去年・前

If you start noticing it, you’ll hear 〜に比べて everywhere 😉

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