CONTENT
How do you say in Spanish that you like something more than something else, or that something is better or worse than something else? Comparatives and superlatives are structures that help us compare the qualities of two or more nouns.
Spanish
English
La ciudad de México es más grande que Monterrey.
Mexico City is larger than Monterrey.
How are Comparatives of Inequality Used?
Rule 1. Comparatives are used to describe similarities or differences between nouns. When making a comparison with an adjective, it is still important to follow the rule of gender and number agreement. In Spanish, comparisons of inequality use the following structures:
When you want to indicate that something is more than another, use:
Verb to be | + más | + adjective | + que |
Verb to be | + más | + adjective | + que |
For example:
Spanish
English
Los tacos son más deliciosos que las enchiladas.
Tacos are more delicious than enchiladas.
Rule 2. When you want to say that something is less than something else, use the same structure, but in this case, but with menos instead of más.
Verb to be | + menos | + adjective | + que |
Verb to be | + menos | + adjective | + que |
Let's look at an example:
Spanish
English
Ciudad de México es menos calurosa que Cancún.
Mexico City is less hot than Cancun.
Irregular adjectives
Rule 3. Some adjectives are irregular and have different comparative and superlative forms. These are:
Adjective | Comparative form | Translation |
---|---|---|
bueno | mejor | better |
malo | peor | worst |
grande | mayor | bigger / older |
pequeño | menor | smaller / younger |
Adjective | Comparative form | Translation |
---|---|---|
bueno | mejor | better |
malo | peor | worst |
grande | mayor | bigger / older |
pequeño | menor | smaller / younger |
So instead of saying, es más bueno, you say es mejor.
Rule 4. If you want to indicate that something is better than something else, you use the following structure:
Verb to be | + mejor | + que |
Verb to be | + mejor | + que |
For example:
Spanish
English
Los gatos son mejores que los perros.
Cats are better than dogs.
Rule 5. When you want to indicate that something is worse than another, use the structure:
Verb to be | + peor | + que |
Verb to be | + peor | + que |
An example:
Spanish
English
Este hotel es peor que el otro, mejor vámonos.
This hotel is worse than the other one, we'd better leave.
Rule 6. Finally, when you want to indicate that something is bigger/older or smaller/younger than something/someone else, use the structure:
Verb to be | + mayor | + que |
Verb to be | + mayor | + que |
Verb to be | + menor | + que |
Verb to be | + menor | + que |
Let's look at the following example:
Spanish
English
Mi tío Enrique es menor que mi tía Elena.
My uncle Enrique is younger than my aunt Elena.
How are Comparatives of Equality Used?
Rule 7. When comparing two equal things, you should use the following structure:
Verb to be | + tan | + como |
Verb to be | + tan | + como |
Spanish
English
Mi hermana es tan bonita como mi hermano.
My sister is as beautiful as my brother.
How are Superlatives Used?
Superlatives are used to describe the maximum or minimum quality of something within a category or group.
Superlatives of Superiority
Rule 8. When the subject we are talking about has the highest quality of its group, the following structure is used:
definite article | + noun | + más | + adjective | + de |
definite article | + noun | + más | + adjective | + de |
Spanish
English
Este es el ceviche más rico de todo Perú.
This is the most delicious ceviche in all of Peru.
Superlatives of Inferiority
Rule 9. On the contrary, if the noun you are talking about has the minimum quality within its group, use the following structure:
definite article | + noun | + menos | + adjective | de |
definite article | + noun | + menos | + adjective | de |
Spanish
English
Este es la fiesta menos divertida del año.
This is the least fun party of the year.
Quiz
1/3
Este verano será ________________ el anterior.
0
correct answers.