Dit boek is interessanter dan die film.

This book is more interesting than that film.

Breakdown of Dit boek is interessanter dan die film.

• zijn: to be
• het boek: the book
• die: that
• de film: the film
• dit: this
• dan: than
• interessanter: more interesting

Questions & Answers about Dit boek is interessanter dan die film.

Why is it dit boek and not deze boek?

In Dutch, the choice between dit/deze (this) and dat/die (that) depends on the grammatical gender/word type of the noun.

• Boek is a het-word (het boek).
• For singular het-words, you use:
  • dit = this (near)
  • dat = that (far)
• For singular de-words, you use:
  • deze = this (near)
  • die = that (far)

So it must be dit boek, not deze boek, because boek is a het-word.
(Plural is different: deze boeken / die boeken regardless of het/de.)

Why is it die film and not dat film?

Because film is a de-word (de film).

• For singular de-words:
  • deze = this
  • die = that
• For singular het-words:
  • dit = this
  • dat = that

Since film is a de noun, the correct distal demonstrative is die, not dat.
So you say die film (that film), not dat film (which is wrong).

What is the difference between dit and die in this sentence?

Both are demonstratives, but:

• dit = this, used for:
  • singular het-words
  • something relatively close (physically, mentally, or in the discourse)
• die = that, used for:
  • singular de-words
  • something more distant (physically, in time, or less in focus)

So dit boek suggests a book that is somehow more in focus or closer to the speaker, and die film suggests a film that is more distant or less in focus.
Grammatically, they also agree with het boek vs de film.

Why is it interessanter and not something like meer interessant?

Dutch usually forms the comparative of most one-word adjectives by adding -er:

• interessant → interessanter (more interesting)
• mooi → mooier (more beautiful)
• snel → sneller (faster)

You can technically say meer interessant, but for normal adjectives like interessant, the -er form is by far the most natural.
Meer + adjective is mainly used:

• when the -er form would sound awkward, or
• with longer, less common, or foreign-sounding adjectives (e.g. meer consequent).

For interessant, the standard, idiomatic form is interessanter.

Could I say Dit boek is meer interessant dan die film?

Native speakers understand it, and it is not strictly wrong, but it sounds unnatural and foreign-influenced in this case.

• Dit boek is interessanter dan die film is the normal, idiomatic version.
• Dit boek is meer interessant dan die film might be used for special emphasis, but most of the time it will simply sound off.

As a learner, you should strongly prefer interessanter here.

Why is there no -e on interessanter? Why not interessantere?

Adjectives in Dutch get an -e ending in many situations, but not when they are used predicatively (after a verb like zijn = to be):

• Het boek is interessant.
• Het boek is interessanter.

Compare that to attributive use (in front of a noun):

• een interessant boek
• het interessante boek
• een interessanter boek
• het interessantere boek

So in your sentence, interessanter comes after is and describes the subject, so it stays without -e:
Dit boek is interessanter …

Why do we use dan here and not als?

In comparisons of inequality (more/less … than), Dutch uses dan, not als:

• interessanter dan = more interesting than
• minder interessant dan = less interesting than

Use als only in comparisons of equality:

• even interessant als = as interesting as
• net zo interessant als = just as interesting as

So:

• Dit boek is interessanter dan die film. ✅
• Dit boek is even interessant als die film. ✅
• Dit boek is interessanter als die film. ❌ (common mistake, but incorrect in standard Dutch)

Could the word order be different, like Dit boek is dan die film interessanter?

No, that word order is not natural.

In a simple main clause like this, the normal pattern is:

[Subject] + [verb] + [complement/predicate] + [than-phrase]

So:

• Dit boek (subject)
• is (verb)
• interessanter (predicate adjective)
• dan die film (comparison phrase)

You can front die film for emphasis and change the whole comparison:

• Die film is minder interessant dan dit boek.

But you should not split the comparison phrase awkwardly. Dit boek is interessanter dan die film is the basic, correct order.

Can I leave out dan die film and just say Dit boek is interessanter?

Yes.

Dit boek is interessanter. simply means This book is more interesting, and the listener has to infer than what from context:

• from the previous sentence (e.g. another book/film already mentioned), or
• from a general contrast (e.g. than expected, than most books, etc.).

Adding dan die film makes the comparison explicit: you are comparing specifically with that film.

What are the definite articles of boek and film, and how do they affect the sentence?

• boek takes het → het boek
• film takes de → de film

This matters because:

• Singular het-words use dit/dat:
  • dit boek, dat boek
• Singular de-words use deze/die:
  • deze film, die film

So the sentence follows directly from their genders:

• Dit boek (het-word, near)
• die film (de-word, far)

How would this sentence look in the plural?

In the plural, both boeken and films are de-words, and demonstratives change:

• Deze boeken zijn interessanter dan die films.
  • deze = these
  • die = those

Note that:

• boeken and films both take de: de boeken, de films
• plural de- and het-words both use deze/die for demonstratives.

How do you pronounce Dit boek is interessanter dan die film?

Approximate IPA and English-like hints:

• Dit → /dɪt/ (like English dit in ditto, with a short i)
• boek → /buk/ (like English book, but with a tenser oe sound, like oo in food but shorter)
• is → /ɪs/ (like English is, but with a short i)
• interessanter → /ˌɪntəˈrɛsɑntər/
  • in like in
  • te like a weak tuh
  • res like ress
  • san like sun but with a as in father (shorter)
  • ter like tur in butter (Dutch r is tapped or rolled)
• dan → /dɑn/ (like dahn, with a as in father, but short)
• die → /di/ (like English dee)
• film → /fɪlm/ (similar to English film, but the i is short)

Spoken smoothly:
/dɪt buk ɪs ˌɪntəˈrɛsɑntər dɑn di fɪlm/

Is there any difference in meaning between Dit boek is interessanter dan die film and Die film is minder interessant dan dit boek?

Logically, they express the same comparison:

• The book is more interesting than the film.
• The film is less interesting than the book.

However, there is a nuance of focus:

• Dit boek is interessanter dan die film.
  • Focus is more on the book being especially interesting.
• Die film is minder interessant dan dit boek.
  • Focus is more on the film being less interesting or disappointing.

Both are correct; you choose depending on what you want to highlight.