than

than  (n, n)

conj.

1. Used after a comparative adjective or adverb to introduce the second element or clause of an unequal comparison: She is a better athlete than I.

2. Used to introduce the second element after certain words indicating difference: He draws quite differently than she does.

3. When. Used especially after hardly and scarcely: I had scarcely walked in the door than the commotion started.

prep. Usage Problem

In comparison or contrast with: could run faster than him; outclassed everyone other than her.

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[Middle English, from Old English thanne, than; see to- in Indo-European roots.]

Usage Note: Since the 18th century grammarians have insisted that than should be regarded as a conjunction in all its uses, so that a sentence such as Bill is taller than Tom should be construed as an elliptical version of the sentence Bill is taller than Tom is. According to this view, the case of a pronoun following than is determined by whether the pronoun serves as the subject or object of the verb that is "understood." Thus, the standard rule requires Pat is taller than I (not me) on the assumption that this sentence is elliptical for Pat is taller than I am but allows The news surprised Pat more than me, since this sentence is taken as elliptical for The news surprised Pat more than it surprised me. However, than is quite commonly treated as a preposition when followed by an isolated noun phrase, and as such occurs with a pronoun in the objective case: John is taller than me. Though this usage is still widely regarded as incorrect, it is predominant in speech and has reputable literary precedent, appearing in the writing of such respected authors as Shakespeare, Johnson, Swift, Scott, and Faulkner. It is also consistent with the fact that than is clearly treated as a preposition in the than whom construction, as in a poet than whom (not than who) no one has a dearer place in the hearts of his countrymen. Still, the writer who risks a sentence like Mary is taller than him in formal writing must be prepared to defend the usage against objections of critics who are unlikely to be dissuaded from the conviction that the usage is incorrect. · Comparatives using as . . . as can be analyzed as parallel to those using than. Traditional grammarians insist that I am not as tall as he is the only correct form; in formal writing, one should adhere to this rule. However, one can cite both literary precedent and syntactic arguments in favor of analyzing the second as as a preposition (which would allow constructions such as I am not as tall as him). See Usage Note at as¹.

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than [ðæn (unstressed) ðən]

conj (coordinating)

prep

1. used to introduce the second element of a comparison, the first element of which expresses difference shorter than you couldn't do otherwise than love him he swims faster than I run

2. used after adverbs such as rather or sooner to introduce a rejected alternative in an expression of preference rather than be imprisoned, I shall die

other than besides; in addition to

[Old English thanne; related to Old Saxon, Old High German thanna; see then]

Usage: In formal English, than is usually regarded as a conjunction governing an unexpressed verb: he does it far better than I (do). The case of any pronoun therefore depends on whether it is the subject or object of the unexpressed verb: she likes him more than I (like him); she likes him more than (she likes) me. However in ordinary speech and writing than is usually treated as a preposition and is followed by the object form of a pronoun: my brother is younger than me

Translations

than [ðæn] CONJ

1. (in comparisons) → que
I have more than you → tengo más que usted
nobody is more sorry than I (am) → nadie lo siente más que yo
more often than not → en la mayoría de los casos
they have more money than we have → tienen más dinero que nosotros
the car went faster than we had expected → el coche alcanzó una velocidad mayor de lo que habíamos esperado
it is better to phone than to write → más vale llamar por teléfono que escribir

2. (with numerals) → de
more/less than 90 → más/menos de 90
more than once → más de una vez

3. (stating preference) → antes que
rather you than me → tú antes que yo

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than [ˈðæn](STRONG) [ðən] conj

(in comparisons) → que
She's taller than me → Elle est plus grande que moi.
I've got more books than him → J'ai plus de livres que lui.
I have more than you → J'en ai plus que toi.
I have less than you → J'en ai moins que toi.
She has more apples than pears → Elle a plus de pommes que de poires.

(with numerals) → de
more than ten years → plus de dix ans
more than once → plus d'une fois

(stating preferences) → plutôt que de
I would sooner give up sleep than miss my evening class → Je préférerais perdre des heures de sommeil plutôt que de rater mon cours du soir.
It is better to phone than to write
BUT Il vaut mieux téléphoner qu'écrire. → Il vaut mieux téléphoner plutôt que d'écrire.

(= when) no sooner ... than ... → à peine ... que ...
No sooner had he left than the phone rang → À peine était-il parti que le téléphone sonna.

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than [, (weak form)]

conj → als; I’d rather do anything than that → das wäre das Letzte, was ich tun wollte; no sooner had I sat down than he began to talk → kaum hatte ich mich hingesetzt, als er auch schon anfing zu reden; who better to help us than he? → wer könnte uns besser helfen als er? ? more, other ADJ c, rather

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than [ðæn; ɐweak form ðən] conj → che; (with numerals, pronouns, proper names) → di
you have more than me/Mary/ten → ne hai più di me/Mary/dieci
she has more apples than pears → ha più mele che pere
more than ever → più che mai
she is older than you think → è più vecchia di quanto tu (non) creda
it was a better play than we expected → la commedia è stata migliore di quanto (non) pensassimo
they have more money than we have → hanno più soldi di noi
it is better to phone than to write → è meglio telefonare che scrivere
more/less than 90 → più/meno di 90
more than once → più di una volta
more often than not → il più delle volte
I'd die rather than admit I'm wrong → piuttosto che ammettere di aver torto morirei
no sooner did he leave than the phone rang → non appena uscì il telefono suonò
you know her better than I do → la conosci meglio di me or di quanto non la conosca io

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than [ðæn; ɐweak form ðən] conj → che; (with numerals, pronouns, proper names) → di
you have more than me/Mary/ten → ne hai più di me/Mary/dieci
she has more apples than pears → ha più mele che pere
more than ever → più che mai
she is older than you think → è più vecchia di quanto tu (non) creda
it was a better play than we expected → la commedia è stata migliore di quanto (non) pensassimo
they have more money than we have → hanno più soldi di noi
it is better to phone than to write → è meglio telefonare che scrivere
more/less than 90 → più/meno di 90
more than once → più di una volta
more often than not → il più delle volte
I'd die rather than admit I'm wrong → piuttosto che ammettere di aver torto morirei
no sooner did he leave than the phone rang → non appena uscì il telefono suonò
you know her better than I do → la conosci meglio di me or di quanto non la conosca io

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than

conjunctio / prep than [ðən, ðӕn]

a word used in comparisons It is easier than I thought; I sing better than he does; He sings better than me. as أكْثَر مِن отколкото než end als από, παρά, σε σύγκριση με que; de lo que kui از kuin que מֵאֲשֶר- से nego, negoli mint daripada heldur en, en che; di ～より (~)보다 nei, negu nekā; par daripada dan enn niż, aniżeli do que decât чем ako kot od än กว่า (ใช้ในการเปรียบเทียบ) ...-den/dan 比 ніж, від تقابل کے ليے استعمال ہونے والا ايک لفظ hơn 比

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than → مِنْ než end als παρά que kuin que od che ･･･よりも …보다 dan enn niż do que чем än เกินกว่า den hơn 比