Most natural way of saying something is better than or best


Most natural way of saying something is better than or best.

>   1. This picture is the best
>   2. This picture is better than ...
>

The translations I see on Google are **ベスト** and **べター**. Looking for a way
how Japanese would compare things.

Thanks!




The katakana words you found are not used in comparisons very often (if at
all).

* * *

I'll start with `best`. You won't find a direct linear translation. To get the
same meaning in Japanese, I would call things `number one`. Here is an
example:

> 今まで食｛た｝べたハンバーグなかで、このレストランのハンバーグが一番｛いちばん｝だ。  
>  Of all the hamburgers I've eaten, the hamburgers from this store are the
> best. (literally: 'they are number one')

If you add an adjective after 一番｛いちばん｝ you can get `the most ___` as your
meaning instead.

> 一番｛いちばん｝美味｛おい｝しい食｛た｝べ物｛もの｝。  
>  Most delicious (or tasty) food.

I would be careful with this one though, as it is a superlative. English
speakers use superlatives all the time, but we don't take the meaning
literally. In Japanese, it is more likely that they will take the meaning
literally (depends on the situation), so be careful in its use. I would use
the next construct more.

* * *

`Better` is a construction that compares something to something else. There
many ways to compare, but `___の方｛ほう｝がいい` will be the best for beginners.
You'll learn more ways to compare over time, but you will be able to express
your ideas with this phrase quite well

> マクドは美味しい｛おいしい｝けど、モスバーガーの方｛ほう｝がいいと思｛おも｝う。  
>  McDonalds is tasty, but I think Mos Burger is better.

As with the last example, you can also use this construct to modify an
adjective in the following manner `___の方が(adjective)`.

> でも、中国{ちゅうごく｝の町｛まち｝の方｛ほう｝が汚｛きたな｝いでしょう？  
>  But Chinese towns are more dirty, right?

I think that as far as comparisons go, `___の方｛ほう｝がいい` will be your best bet,
and it will be used so much that it will come in handy very quickly.




The katakana words you found are not used in comparisons very often (if at
all).

* * *

I'll start with `best`. You won't find a direct linear translation. To get the
same meaning in Japanese, I would call things `number one`. Here is an
example:

> 今まで食｛た｝べたハンバーグなかで、このレストランのハンバーグが一番｛いちばん｝だ。  
>  Of all the hamburgers I've eaten, the hamburgers from this store are the
> best. (literally: 'they are number one')

If you add an adjective after 一番｛いちばん｝ you can get `the most ___` as your
meaning instead.

> 一番｛いちばん｝美味｛おい｝しい食｛た｝べ物｛もの｝。  
>  Most delicious (or tasty) food.

I would be careful with this one though, as it is a superlative. English
speakers use superlatives all the time, but we don't take the meaning
literally. In Japanese, it is more likely that they will take the meaning
literally (depends on the situation), so be careful in its use. I would use
the next construct more.

* * *

`Better` is a construction that compares something to something else. There
many ways to compare, but `___の方｛ほう｝がいい` will be the best for beginners.
You'll learn more ways to compare over time, but you will be able to express
your ideas with this phrase quite well

> マクドは美味しい｛おいしい｝けど、モスバーガーの方｛ほう｝がいいと思｛おも｝う。  
>  McDonalds is tasty, but I think Mos Burger is better.

As with the last example, you can also use this construct to modify an
adjective in the following manner `___の方が(adjective)`.

> でも、中国{ちゅうごく｝の町｛まち｝の方｛ほう｝が汚｛きたな｝いでしょう？  
>  But Chinese towns are more dirty, right?

I think that as far as comparisons go, `___の方｛ほう｝がいい` will be your best bet,
and it will be used so much that it will come in handy very quickly.

