Эта ваза красивее, чем та.

Эта ваза means this vase: both the demonstrative эта and the noun ваза are stated.

At the end, та means that one or that vase, with ваза omitted because it is understood from context. Russian often leaves out a repeated noun when it is obvious.

So:

• Эта ваза = this vase
• та = that one / that vase

You could also say чем та ваза, but чем та is more natural when the noun is already clear.

Because ваза is a feminine noun in Russian.

Russian demonstratives must agree with the noun in gender, number, and case:

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

Since ваза is feminine, you say эта ваза.

The same applies to та:

• тот = that (masculine)
• та = that (feminine)
• то = that (neuter)
• те = those (plural)

Красивее is the comparative form of красивый (beautiful, pretty).

So:

• красивый = beautiful
• красивее = more beautiful / prettier

Russian often forms comparatives with endings like -ее / -ей. In this case:

• красивый → красивее

This is the equivalent of English more beautiful or prettier.

Yes. English has two ways to express comparison:

• more beautiful
• prettier

Russian uses красивее for both ideas. Which English translation sounds best depends on context and style.

In the present tense, Russian usually omits the verb to be.

So English:

• This vase is more beautiful than that one

becomes Russian:

• Эта ваза красивее, чем та.

There is no present-tense is in normal Russian sentences like this.

Here чем means than in a comparison.

So:

• красивее, чем та = more beautiful than that one

This is the standard way to compare two things in Russian.

Yes, that is grammatically possible, but it is less natural in a simple everyday sentence.

There are two common ways to make comparatives in Russian:

1. Simple comparative

   • красивее = more beautiful

2. Analytical comparative with более

   • более красивая = more beautiful

In many ordinary sentences, the simple form sounds better:

• Эта ваза красивее, чем та.

The более + adjective pattern is more common when:

• the comparative form is awkward,
• the style is more formal,
• or you want a more explicit structure.

Because the sentence is making a comparison.

• красивая = beautiful
• красивее = more beautiful

If you said:

• Эта ваза красивая
  it would mean This vase is beautiful.

But here the meaning is This vase is more beautiful than that one, so the comparative красивее is needed.

No. The simple comparative form красивее does not change for gender or number.

Compare:

• красивая ваза = beautiful vase (feminine adjective form)
• красивый стол = beautiful table (masculine adjective form)
• красивое платье = beautiful dress (neuter adjective form)

But the comparative stays the same:

• ваза красивее
• стол красивее
• платье красивее

So красивее is much simpler in that way.

The main noun phrase эта ваза is in the nominative case, because it is the subject of the sentence.

• эта — nominative feminine singular
• ваза — nominative feminine singular

The final та is also nominative feminine singular, standing in for та ваза.

In this sentence, after чем, Russian uses the normal comparison structure with чем + nominative-style phrase:

• чем та = than that one

Yes, sometimes Russian can compare things without чем, using a different structure. But for learners, чем is the most straightforward and common pattern.

The clearest basic model is:

• X + comparative + чем + Y

So:

• Эта ваза красивее, чем та.

That is the safest pattern to learn first.

Yes, in standard Russian spelling, a comma is normally used before чем in this kind of comparison:

• Эта ваза красивее, чем та.

So if you write the sentence, you should include the comma.

Yes, Russian word order is fairly flexible, but the original version is the most neutral and natural:

• Эта ваза красивее, чем та.

You may also see variations for emphasis, but they are not the basic pattern learners usually start with.

So as a model sentence, keep:

• Эта ваза красивее, чем та.

It is pronounced approximately like kra-SEE-vye-ye, though actual pronunciation can vary slightly in connected speech.

A few helpful points:

• the stress is on -ви-: краси́вее
• the ending -ее is pronounced as two vowel sounds, not like a single English ee

If you know stress marks, it is:

• краси́вее

Both are possible, but that one is often the better English translation here.

Russian та on its own stands for that one because the noun ваза is omitted.

So:

• literal idea: This vase is prettier than that one
• shorter English version: This vase is prettier than that

Both are acceptable depending on how natural you want the English to sound.