Здесь тише, чем в метро.

It’s quieter here than in the metro.

Breakdown of Здесь тише, чем в метро.

• в: in
• здесь: here
• чем: than
• метро: the metro
• тише: more quietly / quieter

Questions & Answers about Здесь тише, чем в метро.

Why is тише used here? Is it an adjective or an adverb?

Тише is the comparative form meaning quieter. In Здесь тише, it functions as a predicative (like it’s quieter here) and does not agree with a noun in gender/number.
You can think of it as coming from:

• тихо (adverb: quietly) → тише (more quietly / quieter)
• тихий (adjective: quiet) → тише (comparative)

In this sentence it’s essentially impersonal: (Здесь) тише = It’s quieter (here).

Why isn’t there a word for it is (like есть)?

In the present tense Russian normally omits есть in sentences like this.
So Здесь (есть) тише would sound unnatural; you simply say Здесь тише.

What does чем do in this sentence?

Чем introduces the second part of a comparison, like than in English.
Pattern: X + comparative + чем + Y
So тише, чем в метро = quieter than in the metro.

Why is there a comma before чем?

Russian normally uses a comma to separate the main clause from the comparative phrase with чем:
Здесь тише, чем в метро.
Without the comma it looks like a mistake in standard punctuation.

Why is it в метро and not some other case?

в + prepositional is used for location inside a place: in the метро/subway.
So: в метро = in the metro (system / subway).
(And метро happens to be indeclinable, so it looks the same in all cases.)

Is метро masculine/feminine/neuter, and does it decline?

Метро is neuter and typically indeclinable in modern standard Russian.
So you say: в метро, из метро, к метро, etc.—the form метро stays the same.

Could I say на метро instead of в метро?

Not here. в метро = location (in the subway/metro).
на метро usually means by metro (as a means of transport), like:

• Я поеду на метро = I’ll go by metro.
  So for this sentence comparing noise levels in places, в метро is the correct choice.

Can the comparison be expressed without чем?

Sometimes Russian can use the genitive of comparison (more literary/compact), but it’s not equally natural with all nouns and contexts. The clear, neutral everyday option is exactly what you have:
Здесь тише, чем в метро.
Using чем is the most straightforward and common here.

What’s the difference between здесь and тут? Can I replace it?

Yes, often you can: Тут тише, чем в метро.
Both mean here. In many contexts:

• здесь can feel a bit more neutral/formal or “pointing to a place”
• тут can feel a bit more conversational/immediate
  But in this sentence, either works.

What is the normal word order, and can it be changed?

The neutral order is: Здесь тише, чем в метро.
You can rearrange for emphasis, for example:

• В метро громче, чем здесь. = It’s louder in the metro than here.
  But the given order is the most natural for stating here first, then comparing.

How do I pronounce it (roughly) and where is the stress?

• Здесь: one syllable, roughly zdyes’ (soft ending)
• ти́ше: stress on the first syllable ТИ-ше
• чем: chem (with a soft ч)
• метро́: stress on the last syllable me-TRO