～に比べて・～に比べると — Compared with N | JLPT N3 grammar

Meaning

Compares something with something else by degree: “compared with N, in comparison to N”. It means much the same as より but sounds slightly more formal and sets the point of comparison off as a separate phrase. It is not for contrasting two different facts — that is に対して.

Formation

N＋に比べて: 去年 → 去年に比べて
N＋に比べると (softer, more conversational): 前の家 → 前の家に比べると
N＋に比べ (written style): 先月 → 先月に比べ
Vる＋の＋に比べて: 外で食べる → 外で食べるのに比べて

When to use it

Where to use it: For comparing amounts or degrees, both in the news and in everyday speech: 去年に比べて雨が少ない (“less rain compared with last year”). に比べ without て appears in newspapers and reports: 前年に比べ二割増えた.
Where not to use it: Not for contrasting different facts that share no scale (✗東京に比べて大阪は雨だ → 東京は晴れなのに対して、大阪は雨だ). A verb cannot attach without の: ✗食べるに比べて.

Examples

20 sentences

今年ことしの夏なつは、去年きょねんに比べてにくらべて雨あめが少なかったすくなかった。
This summer there was less rain compared with last year.
前まえの家いえに比べるとにくらべると、今いまのアパートはちょっと狭いせまい。
Compared with my old house, my current apartment is a bit small.
外そとで食べるたべるのに比べてにくらべて、自炊じすいはずっと安いやすい。
Compared with eating out, cooking for yourself is much cheaper.
今月こんげつの売り上げうりあげは、先月せんげつに比べにくらべ二割にわり増えたふえた。
Sales this month rose 20 percent compared with last month.
東京とうきょうに比べてにくらべて、大阪おおさかの物価ぶっかはどうですか。
How do prices in Osaka compare with Tokyo?
父ちちは若いわかいころに比べてにくらべて、だいぶ体力たいりょくが落ちたおちた。
Compared with when he was young, my father has lost quite a bit of stamina.
兄あにに比べてにくらべて、僕ぼくはあまり背せが高くないたかくない。
Compared with my older brother, I'm not very tall.
このスマホは、前まえの機種きしゅに比べてにくらべて電池でんちが長くながくもつ。
Compared with the previous model, this smartphone's battery lasts longer.

12 more examples

十年前じゅうねんまえに比べるとにくらべると、外国人がいこくじん観光客かんこうきゃくがずいぶん増えましたふえましたね。
Compared with ten years ago, there are a lot more foreign tourists now, aren't there?
話すはなすのに比べてにくらべて、書くかくのは時間じかんがかかる。
Compared with speaking, writing takes more time.
都会とかいに比べてにくらべて、田舎いなかは空気くうきがきれいだ。
Compared to the city, the air in the countryside is cleaner.
平日へいじつに比べるとにくらべると、週末しゅうまつの電車でんしゃはすいている。
Compared to weekdays, the trains are less crowded on weekends.
今年ことしの冬ふゆは平年へいねんに比べにくらべ、暖かいあたたかい日ひが多かったおおかった。
This winter had more warm days than an average year.
新しいあたらしい薬くすりは、これまでの薬くすりに比べにくらべ副作用ふくさようが少ないすくない。
The new medicine has fewer side effects than earlier ones.
電車でんしゃで行くいくのに比べてにくらべて、車くるまだと一時間いちじかんも早くはやく着くつく。
Compared to going by train, you get there a whole hour earlier by car.
一人ひとりで勉強べんきょうするのに比べるとにくらべると、クラスのほうが続けやすいつづけやすい。
Compared to studying alone, it's easier to keep going in a class.
前まえの会社かいしゃに比べてにくらべて、残業ざんぎょうは減りましたへりましたか？
Compared to your previous company, do you work less overtime now?
去年きょねんの試験しけんに比べるとにくらべると、今年ことしの問題もんだいはそれほど難しくむずかしくなかった。
Compared to last year's exam, this year's questions weren't that difficult.
紙かみの本ほんに比べてにくらべて、電子書籍でんししょせきは持ち運びもちはこびが楽らくだ。
Compared to paper books, e-books are easier to carry around.
日本語にほんごに比べるとにくらべると、韓国語かんこくごは発音はつおんが難しいむずかしいと思いますおもいますか？
Do you think Korean pronunciation is harder than Japanese?

Important notes

What follows expresses degree: an adjective, 多い／少ない, a verb of change (増える, 減る, 上がる), often with ずっと, 少し, だいぶ.
と can replace に — 去年と比べて means the same. ほうが is optional: 兄に比べて弟のほうが背が高い.

Common mistakes

✗ 外で食べるに比べて、自炊は安い → ✓ 外で食べるのに比べて、自炊は安い — a verb must first be turned into a noun with の.
✗ 東京を比べて、大阪は物価が安い → ✓ 東京に比べて、大阪は物価が安い — the point of comparison is marked with に (or と), not を.
✗ 東京に比べて、大阪は雨だ → ✓ 東京は晴れなのに対して、大阪は雨だ — there is no more/less scale here; two facts are being contrasted.

Check yourself

Pick the translation of each sentence. The wrong options translate similar patterns, so watch the grammar rather than the words.

Sentence 1: 十年前じゅうねんまえに比べるとにくらべると、外国人がいこくじん観光客かんこうきゃくがずいぶん増えましたふえましたね。 Compared with ten years ago, there are a lot more foreign tourists now, aren't there?The train is faster than the bus.My sister prepares for a trip a month ahead, whereas I pack on the morning of departure.
Sentence 2: 電車でんしゃで行くいくのに比べてにくらべて、車くるまだと一時間いちじかんも早くはやく着くつく。 Compared to going by train, you get there a whole hour earlier by car.The old library is quiet outside, whereas its interior is filled with colorful paintings.A plane is faster than a train.
Sentence 3: 日本語にほんごに比べるとにくらべると、韓国語かんこくごは発音はつおんが難しいむずかしいと思いますおもいますか？ Yesterday's problem is harder than this one.Rainfall is increasing in the north, whereas the south is becoming drier.Do you think Korean pronunciation is harder than Japanese?