Этот салат посвежее, чем тот.

In Russian, the verb to be is usually omitted in the present tense.

So:

• Этот салат посвежее, чем тот. literally looks like
• This salad fresher than that one.

But the natural English translation is:

• This salad is fresher than that one.

This is completely normal in Russian. If the sentence were in the past or future, a form of быть would appear.

Because салат is a masculine singular noun, and этот must agree with it.

Russian demonstratives change for gender:

• этот = this (masculine)
• эта = this (feminine)
• это = this (neuter)
• эти = these (plural)

Since салат is masculine, you say:

• этот салат = this salad

The same applies to тот:

• тот = that (masculine)
• here it stands for тот салат = that salad

Свежее is the ordinary comparative of свежий (fresh):

• свежий = fresh
• свежее = fresher

Посвежее adds a nuance of a bit / somewhat / rather. It often sounds softer, less absolute, or more conversational.

So:

• свежее = fresher
• посвежее = a bit fresher / somewhat fresher

In this sentence, посвежее suggests something like:

• This salad is a bit fresher than that one.

In everyday speech, comparatives with по- are very common.

It is built from the adjective свежий (fresh).

A simplified way to look at it:

• свежий = fresh
• свежее = fresher
• посвежее = a bit fresher / somewhat fresher

So the по- is added to the comparative form.

This по- does not mean the usual along / by / on here. In comparatives, it gives a milder or more informal sense.

Because Russian comparative forms like свежее / посвежее are generally invariable.

Unlike full adjectives, they do not agree in gender, number, or case.

Compare:

• свежий салат = fresh salad
• свежая рыба = fresh fish
• свежее молоко = fresh milk

But in the comparative:

• салат свежее
• рыба свежее
• молоко свежее

The comparative form stays the same.

So even though салат is masculine, посвежее does not become masculine-looking in any special way.

Because Russian often omits repeated nouns when they are obvious from context.

So:

• Этот салат посвежее, чем тот.

really means:

• Этот салат посвежее, чем тот салат.

But repeating салат would usually sound unnecessary unless you want emphasis or clarity.

Here тот works like that one in English.

So:

• чем тот = than that one
• implied: than that salad

With чем meaning than, Russian often uses a structure that corresponds to an omitted full phrase:

• чем тот [салат]

That is why тот appears in the nominative, matching the implied noun phrase.

There is also another comparative pattern in Russian, without чем, where the second item can appear in the genitive:

• Этот салат свежее того.

That is also possible, but it is a different construction.

So:

• свежее, чем тот = comparative with чем
• свежее того = comparative with genitive, no чем

For learners, чем + nominative phrase is often the easiest pattern to recognize.

Yes, in normal writing, the comma is expected here:

• Этот салат посвежее, чем тот.

That is because чем introduces the comparison, similar to than in a comparative structure.

So the comma is standard in this sentence.

Yes, absolutely.

That would mean simply:

• This salad is fresher than that one.

The difference is nuance:

• свежее = fresher
• посвежее = a bit fresher / somewhat fresher

So посвежее often sounds a little softer, more conversational, or less blunt.

Both are natural.

It sounds natural and conversational, mainly because of посвежее.

If you want a more neutral or straightforward comparison, you might say:

• Этот салат свежее, чем тот.

If you want a more bookish or formal style, Russian can also use:

• Этот салат более свежий, чем тот.

But in everyday speech, the shorter comparative is usually more common and more natural.

So for ordinary conversation:

• посвежее = very natural
• свежее = also very natural

The stress is:

• посве́жее

So the stressed syllable is -ве́-.

A rough pronunciation guide:

• pa-svye-ZHE-ye

Stress matters in Russian, so it is worth learning this word with the accent.