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Russian frequency list

No. 1,621 in Russian

чем

"Чем" means "than," "by what," or "with what," depending on context.

In a sentence

  • Я больше люблю чай с мёдом, чем с сахаром.

    I prefer tea with honey rather than with sugar.

    In this case, 'чем' is used to compare 'with honey' to 'with sugar', expressing a preference.

  • Чем больше ты практикуешь, тем лучше у тебя получается.

    The more you practice, the better you become.

    Here, 'чем' is paired with 'тем' in a correlative construction to indicate proportional progression.

  • Чем ты занят сейчас?

    What are you occupied with now?

    In this context, 'чем' is used as an interrogative word asking about the object of engagement.

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