beoseuga gichaboda deo ssayo.

The bus is cheaper than the train.

Breakdown of beoseuga gichaboda deo ssayo.

• ~가: subject particle
• 버스: bus
• 기차: train
• ~보다: comparative particle
• 더: more
• 싸다: cheap

Questions & Answers about beoseuga gichaboda deo ssayo.

What does the particle 보다 indicate in 기차보다?

보다 marks the standard of comparison—equivalent to “than” in English. In 버스가 기차보다 더 싸요, 기차보다 literally means “than the train.”

Why is 가 attached to 버스 but not to 기차?

가 is the subject marker. Here, 버스 (the bus) is the thing being described (it’s the cheaper one), so it takes 가. 기차 (the train) isn’t the subject; it’s just the point of comparison, so it takes 보다 instead of 가.

What role does 더 play, and could I omit it?

더 means “more.” You need it to say “more cheap,” i.e. “cheaper.” Without 더, the sentence (버스가 기차보다 싸요) is still understandable but feels a bit clipped—Koreans almost always include 더 in comparisons for clarity.

Can I swap the two nouns to say 기차보다 버스가 더 싸요?

Yes. Korean allows flexible word order for emphasis. Both
• 버스가 기차보다 더 싸요,
• 기차보다 버스가 더 싸요
mean “The bus is cheaper than the train.”

How do I say “The bus is less expensive than the train”?

Use 덜 (“less”) instead of 더:
• 버스가 기차보다 덜 비싸요
Literally: “The bus is less expensive than the train.”

What’s the politeness level of 싸요, and are there other forms?

싸요 is the polite informal (해요체) present form of 싸다. Alternatives include:
• Plain/Dictionary: 싸다 (neutral)
• Formal/존댓말: 쌉니다

Is 싸다 ever confused with 쓰다 (“to use” or “bitter”)?

They’re different verbs:
• 싸다 (ㅏ vowel) means “to be cheap.”
• 쓰다 (ㅡ vowel) means “to write,” “to use,” or “bitter.”
Pronunciation and meaning differ, so context usually makes it clear.

Could I say 버스가 기차보다 더 싸 without 요?

Dropping 요 makes it plain style (반말) but you’d also use the plain adjective ending -다: 버스가 기차보다 더 싸다. Native speakers rarely say 싸 alone in speech—it sounds incomplete.