# Kém … hơn / ít … hơn: less … than in Vietnamese (B1)

> Kém or ít before an adjective, with hơn after it, means "less … than": Mẫu này kém bền hơn mẫu cũ. This model is less durable than the old one.

Source: https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/kem-less/ · Updated 2026-10-17

**less … than**

Pattern: `[A] + kém / ít + [adjective] + hơn + [B]`

Level: B1 (our estimate) · Register: everyday

Typed without accents: kem … hon, it … hon

*Kém* or *ít* before an adjective, with *hơn* after it, means "less … than": *Mẫu này kém bền hơn mẫu cũ.* This model is less durable than the old one. *Đi xe buýt ít tốn kém hơn đi taxi.* The bus costs less than a taxi. These are mostly written: reviews, reports, the news.

*Kém hơn* on its own means "worse, weaker, lower": *Năm nay doanh thu kém hơn năm ngoái.* Sales are lower this year than last. *Đội mình chơi kém hơn.* Our team played worse.

In conversation, people rarely say "less" this way. They use *không … bằng* (not as … as): *Cái này không mắc bằng cái kia.* This one isn't as expensive as that one. Or they take the opposite adjective with *hơn*: *rẻ hơn*, cheaper, rather than *ít mắc hơn*.

For age, *kém* is the opposite of *hơn*: *Em kém chị ba tuổi*, I'm three years younger than you. In speech you'll also hear *nhỏ hơn*: *Em nhỏ hơn chị ba tuổi.*

## Examples

- Mẫu này kém bền hơn mẫu cũ. — This model is less durable than the old one.
- Đi xe buýt ít tốn kém hơn đi taxi. — Taking the bus costs less than taking a taxi.
- Năm nay doanh thu kém hơn năm ngoái. — Sales are lower this year than last year.
- Saigon: Cái này không mắc bằng cái kia. | Hà Nội: Cái này không đắt bằng cái kia. — This one isn't as expensive as that one.

## Compare

- [Not as … as: không … bằng / như](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/khong-bang-less/): not as … as
- [More … than: adjective + hơn](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/hon-more-than/): …er than
- [No less than: không kém (gì)](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/khong-kem-gi/): no less than

Previous in How much, and comparing: [Even …er: còn + adjective + hơn](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/con-hon-even/)
Next in How much, and comparing: [No different from: (chẳng) khác gì, khác nào](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/khac-gi-just-like/)

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