Learn Hardcore Japanese: natu yori huyu no hou ga suki desu.

より is the particle used for comparisons. It marks the item that you like less. Here 夏より means “than summer.” You read “A より B のほうが好きです” as “I like B more than A.”

Why is のほうが added after 冬?

のほうが literally means “direction” or “side” and turns 冬 into “the winter side,” indicating it’s the preferred choice. So 冬のほうが = “as for winter, that side is preferred.”

What role does the particle が play after ほう?

After のほう, が marks the subject of 好きです. It literally says “As for winter, that side (が) is liked,” so が attaches to the thing you like.

Why isn’t there a topic marker は in this sentence?

In comparative structures like this, you focus on contrasting two items rather than stating a general topic. Using が emphasizes the preference. You could say 冬のほうが好きです on its own, but adding より for the comparison shifts より to mark the “less liked” item, and が remains on the “more liked” item.

Can I rearrange it to 冬のほうが夏より好きです?

Yes. Japanese word order is fairly flexible. Both
• 夏より冬のほうが好きです
• 冬のほうが夏より好きです
mean “I like winter more than summer.” The emphasis is the same.

Is it okay to omit のほうが and just say 冬が好きです?

Yes, you can. But 冬が好きです simply means “I like winter,” with no explicit comparison to summer. If you drop のほうが, you lose the “more than summer” nuance.

Why do we need です at the end? What happens if I remove it?

です makes the sentence polite. Without it—夏より冬のほうが好き—you sound more casual or plain, which is fine among friends or in writing, but less polite in formal situations.

Could I replace 好き with another adjective using the same pattern?

Yes! The pattern is AよりBのほうが + adjective + です. For example:
• 日本よりアメリカのほうが大きいです。 (America is bigger than Japan.)
• 車より自転車のほうが便利です。 (Bicycles are more convenient than cars.)