Nuance and politeness

Comparison

Compare things: more, better and the best.

The describing word doesn't change. Where English says cheaper or more expensive, Thai adds กว่า after the word: แพงกว่า, more expensive. There's no -er ending and no separate word in front.

quality+กว่า+what it's compared with

อันนี้an-níithis oneแพงpɛɛngexpensiveกว่าgwàamore thanอันนั้นan-nánthat one
This one is more expensive than that one.
ร้านráanrestaurantนี้níithisดีdiigoodที่สุดtîi-sùtmost
This restaurant is the best.
ผมpǒmIชอบchɔ̂ɔplikeชาchaateaมากกว่าmâak-gwàamore thanกาแฟgaa-fɛɛcoffee
I like tea more than coffee.

กว่าgwàa
more, -er than
ที่สุดtîi-sùt
the most, -est
มากกว่าmâak-gwàa
more than
น้อยกว่าnɔ́ɔi-gwàa
less than
เท่ากันtâo-gan
equally, the same amount
เหมือนกันmʉ̌an-gan
alike; too, as well

Common mistake

ที่สุด goes after the describing word: ดีที่สุด, the best. Thai has no word for the most that goes in front, as English most does.

Practise

Kai says

กินข้าว literally means eat rice, but it's also an everyday way to talk about having a meal. A word-for-word translation doesn't always tell the whole story.