connective N3 common casualpolitewritten

〜に比べると — compared to ~ (when you compare)

〜に比べると・にくらべると

Builds on 〜に比べて

Meaning

compared to ~ / when you compare it with ~ — sets a baseline, framed with the と conditional as 'if/when one compares'

に比くらべると is に比くらべて with the conditional と: it presents the comparison as a condition — 'when you set it against ~, then…'. The meaning is all but identical to に比くらべて; the と version sounds slightly more tentative or set-up, as if inviting the listener to make the comparison before the point lands.

Key sentence

前回ぜんかいに比くらべると、今回こんかいはずっと簡単かんたんだった。

Compared to last time, this time was much easier.

Formation

Attaches to	Form	Example
Noun + に比べると	N + に比くらべると	去年きょねんに比くらべると / 昔むかしに比くらべると

Examples

他ほかの店みせに比くらべると、ここは少すこし高たかい。

Compared to other shops, this place is a bit pricey.

都心としんに比くらべると、家賃やちんが安やすい。

Compared to the city center, the rent is cheap.

去年きょねんに比くらべると、今年ことしは暖あたたかい。

Compared to last year, this year is warm.

Easily confused with

〜に比べて Same comparison; に比くらべて is the plain 'compared to', に比くらべると frames it as 'when one compares' — marginally more tentative/discursive. Usually interchangeable. 〜よりより ranks two items head-to-head; に比くらべると sets a baseline and notes the difference, common with changes over time.

See 〜に比べると in real sentences

Jengo shows 〜に比べると the way you actually meet it: inside real Japanese sentences, so it sticks instead of staying an abstract rule.

Study it in Jengo

Sources Compiled with reference to A Dictionary of Advanced Japanese Grammar.

← Back to the grammar tree