---
title: "Dan, als and zo ... als"
level: A2
chapter: "Adjectives and adverbs"
canonical: https://www.dutchfluency.com/grammar/comparing-dan-als
updated: 2026-10-09
author: Dutch Fluency
license: CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
---

# Dan, als and zo ... als

Use _dan_ for "than": _Daan is groter dan Bas_ means "Daan is taller than Bas". For "as ... as", use _net zo ... als_ or _even ... als_: _Daan is net zo groot als Bas_. And "different from" is _anders dan_.

## The pattern

> Use _dan_ for "than" after a comparative (the _-er_ form, like _groter_, bigger) and in _anders dan_ (different from). For "as ... as", use _zo ... als_ or _even ... als_.

- _groter dan_, _duurder dan_, _beter dan_: bigger than, more expensive than, better than
- _meer dan_, _minder dan_, _liever ... dan_: more than, less than, rather ... than
- _(net) zo groot als_: (just) as big as; _net_ adds "just" or "exactly"
- _even groot als_: as big as; this _even_ means "equally", not "for a moment"
- _niet zo groot als_: not as big as
- _anders dan_: different from

## Examples

| Daan is **groter dan** Bas. | Daan is taller than Bas. |
| De trein is **sneller dan** de bus. | The train is faster than the bus. |
| De supermarkt is vandaag **drukker dan** normaal. | The supermarket is busier than usual today. |
| Priya heeft **meer** vrije dagen **dan** Ahmed. | Priya has more days off than Ahmed. |
| Ik drink **liever** thee **dan** koffie. | I would rather drink tea than coffee. |
| Het is vandaag **net zo koud als** gisteren. | Today it is just as cold as yesterday. |
| Fatima is **even oud als** haar buurvrouw. | Fatima is as old as her neighbour. |
| Mei fietst **net zo snel als** Carlos. | Mei cycles just as fast as Carlos. |
| Mijn fiets is **niet zo nieuw als** die van Joris. | My bike is not as new as Joris's bike. |
| Het leven hier is **anders dan** in Spanje. | Life here is different from life in Spain. |

## Why it works this way

You compare things all day: prices, the weather, the train and the bus. Dutch splits this job in two.

_Dan_ goes with difference. Words like _groter_, _meer_, _liever_ and _anders_ already tell you the two sides are not the same, and _dan_ brings in the other side. _Als_ goes with sameness. It is also the word for "as" in _Ik werk als kok_ (I work as a cook), so _zo groot als_ maps neatly onto "as big as".

- _Sanne is groter dan Yara._ They are different heights.
- _Sanne is net zo groot als Yara._ They are the same height.

In casual speech you will hear _groter als_ and _beter als_ a lot, also from people born here. Understand it, but in standard Dutch, in emails and in exams, use _dan_ after a comparative. If you speak German, take extra care: German "größer als" is Dutch _groter dan_, and German "so groß wie" is Dutch _zo groot als_.

To build the _-er_ forms, see [Comparatives: groter, mooier, duurder](https://www.dutchfluency.com/grammar/comparatives). _Als_ also means "if" or "when", a different job covered in [Als, wanneer or toen](https://www.dutchfluency.com/grammar/als-wanneer-toen).

Remember: _dan_ for different, _als_ for alike. In a comparison, the word in front decides: a comparative or _anders_ takes _dan_, while _zo_ or _even_ takes _als_. That is why _niet zo duur als_ keeps its _als_, even though it describes a difference.

## Watch out

- Not: _Lotte is ouder als Sanne._ Say: _Lotte is ouder dan Sanne._ (common in casual speech, but standard Dutch uses _dan_ after a comparative)
- Not: _Joris is langer dan mij._ Say: _Joris is langer dan ik._ (standard Dutch uses _ik_ here, as in _dan ik ben_)
- Not: _Emma is net zo lang zoals haar vader._ Say: _Emma is net zo lang als haar vader._ (_zoals_ means "like" or "such as"; "as ... as" is _zo ... als_)
- Not: _Dit huis is anders van ons oude huis._ Say: _Dit huis is anders dan ons oude huis._ (English says "different from", Dutch says _anders dan_)

## Quick check

1. Fill in the gap: _De bus is langzamer ... de trein._
2. Fill in the gap: _Mijn kamer is net zo groot ... jouw kamer._
3. Choose: _Werken in Nederland is anders (als / dan) werken in India._
4. Fix the sentence: _Ahmed fietst sneller als zijn broer._

## Answers

1. _dan_: _langzamer_ is a comparative.
2. _als_: "just as big as" is _net zo groot als_.
3. _dan_: "different from" is _anders dan_.
4. _Ahmed fietst sneller dan zijn broer._ Standard Dutch uses _dan_ after _sneller_.

## Use it today

Choose two things you know well, like two cities, two supermarkets or your old and new job. Say or write three sentences: one with _-er dan_, one with _net zo ... als_ and one with _anders dan_, for example _Utrecht is kleiner dan Amsterdam_.

## Questions learners ask

**Is it groter dan or groter als in Dutch?**

Standard Dutch uses dan after a comparative: groter dan, beter dan, ouder dan. Many people say groter als in casual speech, but in writing and in exams you should use dan.

**How do you say "as ... as" in Dutch?**

Use zo ... als, net zo ... als or even ... als: Ik ben net zo oud als jij means "I am just as old as you". For "not as ... as", say niet zo ... als.

**How do you say "different from" in Dutch?**

Dutch says anders dan, not anders van: Het weer hier is anders dan in Italië. Like a comparative, anders takes dan.

From the Dutch Fluency Grammar: https://www.dutchfluency.com/grammar. Shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.