চেয়ে

Bengali

Etymology

The postposition evolved from the verb form, with meaning changing from "wanting" to "something wanted more than the available extent" to "than".

Pronunciation

• (Rarh) IPA^(key): /t͡ʃe/, [ˈt͡ʃeˑ]

  Audio:

  (file)

• (Dhaka) IPA^(key): /tɕe/, [ˈtɕeː], [ˈtɕeˑ]
• (Vanga) IPA^(key): /t̪sɛ/, [ˈt̪sɛˑ], [ˈsɛˑ]

Postposition

চেয়ে • (ceẏe) (with genitive case)

1. than (introduces a standard of comparison)

   Synonyms: চাইতে (caite), থেকে (theke)

   আমি তোমার চেয়ে লম্বা।

   ami tōmar ceẏe lomba.

   I'm taller than you.

   (literally, “I than you [am] tall[er].)”)

Usage notes

Bengali doesn't use comparative forms of adjectives. Using this postposition to introduce an adjective implies a comparative, whereas the derivative সবচেয়ে (śobceẏe) implies a superlative.

Verb

চেয়ে • (ceẏe)

1. perfect participle of চাওয়া (caōẇa, “to want”)