Comparing Actions: "mai ... decât"
To express that someone does something "more" than someone else, use the comparative form of the adverb. Place mai (more) directly in front of the adverb, and decât (than) before the person or thing you are comparing against.
| You work more productively than the boss. | Lucrezi mai productiv decât șeful. |
Many adjectives in Romanian can be used directly as adverbs without changing their form. For example, productiv can mean both "productive" and "productively."
| We use the new method more productively than them. | Folosim metoda nouă mai productiv decât ei. |
| The manager manages the team better than the director. | Managerul gestionează echipa mai bine decât directorul. |
Comparing with Pronouns
When the word following decât is a personal pronoun, Romanian uses the accusative forms mine for "me" and tine for "you". However, the other pronouns stay in their standard dictionary forms (el, ea, noi, voi, ei, ele).
| Will you manage the project faster than me? | Vei gestiona proiectul mai repede decât mine? |
| I plan the project more carefully than him. | Planific proiectul mai atent decât el. |
| I will finish it later than you. | O voi finaliza mai târziu decât tine. |
Managing Time and Performance
When discussing time management and productivity, you will frequently use comparative adverbs to discuss how quickly or effectively tasks are completed.
| He finishes the report earlier than the team. | El finalizează raportul mai devreme decât echipa. |
| We evaluate the performance more often than them. | Evaluăm performanța mai des decât ei. |
| The new employee works more professionally than the old colleague. | Angajatul nou lucrează mai profesionist decât colegul vechi. |
| They manage the activity more easily than us. | Ei gestionează activitatea mai ușor decât noi. |
Multiple Comparisons
If you want to describe an action with two comparative adverbs, you can easily connect them with și (and).
| The colleague writes the report faster and better than me. | Colega scrie raportul mai repede și mai bine decât mine. |
| You manage the priority weekly more efficiently than us. | Voi gestionați săptămânal prioritatea mai eficient decât noi. |