Factual Comparisons: Nego što
To compare a current reality to an expectation or claim, use nego što (literally, "than what") to connect two full clauses. Because these sentences compare facts or actual events, nego što is followed by an indicative verb (usually past or present tense).
| This diamond is more beautiful than I thought. | Ovaj dijamant je ljepši nego što sam mislio. |
| The jeweler evaluated it faster than we expected. | Zlatar ga je procijenio brže nego što smo očekivali. |
| It is harder to cut this crystal than it looks. | Teže je brusiti ovaj kristal nego što izgleda. |
Hypothetical Comparisons: Nego da
When evaluating hypothetical alternatives, use nego da (literally, "than that"). This structure pairs perfectly with words expressing preference or judgment, such as bolje (better), radije (rather), or sigurnije (safer).
The clause following nego da usually takes the present tense to express the alternative you want to avoid.
| It is better to sell the ruby than for us to keep it forever. | Bolje je prodati rubin nego da ga zauvijek čuvamo. |
| I will rather choose a sapphire with a flaw than for them to cheat me. | Radije ću odabrati safir s manom nego da me varaju. |
The structure remains exactly the same even if the preference itself uses the conditional mood (e.g., "I would rather"):
| I would rather that you cut the crystal than for us to ruin it. | Radije bih da ti brusiš kristal nego da ga mi uništimo. |
Your questions are stored by us to improve Elon.io