Thread: quick translation

Hello to all: I love this website, I have to check it everyday! anyways, my question to someone/anyone is to translate:

"I understand russian more than I am able to speak it."

This is true, because unfortunately where I live (Canada) I don't know any Russian people to help me with the sounds and correct my many mistakes!! I studied Russian in University for about a year (this was about 6 years ago) and absolutely love the language, and currently I plan to go to Russia this fall for 3 whole weeks- so needless to say, I have been studying like crazy- but without someone there to help me it is difficult. Perhaps a tutor would help, anyways...

Thanks in advance everyone on the site is great (except for the doughhead who mentioned that Canadians age worse than Russians)teehee- Come on we never see sunlight, how fast can we age?

Originally Posted by Remington

Hello to all: I love this website, I have to check it everyday! anyways, my question to someone/anyone is to translate:

"I understand russian more than I am able to speak it."

Я понимаю русский лучше, чем говорю на нём.

Я понимаю русский лучше, чем говорю на нём.

Why don`t you use больше here?

Originally Posted by Kamion

Я понимаю русский лучше, чем говорю на нём.

Why don`t you use больше here?

When we are comparing two actions expressed with different verbs (and the same subject) using "больше", that means that one action takes place more often than the other or/and it lasts for a greater period of time.
For example you may say:
Я смотрю телевизор больше, чем говорю по телефону. = I spend more time watching TV than talking on the phone.
But in the current sentence we are comparing the abilities to understand and to speak.
On the second thought, "больше" can be used here but I would call that usage idiomatic.