Comparatives
What are comparisons? Comparisons are made when one object/one group is compared to another object/group and a difference is apparent. Comparisons are between 2 things, groups, ideas, or concepts.
Comparison formula Comparisons that are regular have the same pattern: más/menos + adjective + que más = more Menos = less que = than [notice… no accent!]
Comparison The boy is taller than the girl. This is a comparison of two people. It will use the formula más + adjective + que Taller is not a word in Spanish– for comparative words that end in –er in English are made by saying more and then the adjective in Spanish. Taller = more tall = más alto
Comparison The boy is taller than the girl Más + adjective+ que El chico es más alto que la chica. Make sure the adjective agrees in number and gender with the subject.
Comparisons The cats are smaller than the dogs. Más + adjective + que Los gatos son más pequeños que los perros. Make sure the adjective agrees in number and gender.
Comparison The boy is taller than the girl Más + adjective+ que El chico es más alto que la chica. Make sure the adjective agrees in number and gender with the subject. There is a second way of saying this: use menos El chico es menos bajo que la chica.
Comparisons The cats are smaller than the dogs. Más + adjective + que Los gatos son más pequeños que los perros. Make sure the adjective agrees in number and gender. There is a second way of saying this: use menos Los gatos son menos grandes que los perros.
Comparisons - irregulars There are 4 irregulars: Viejo old Joven young Mal bad Bueno good These are the adjectives that you will see in the sentence.
Comparisons - irregular Viejo old Mayor = older The clock is older than the table. El reloj es mayor que la mesa. NOTICE: This sentence does not use más or menos. With irregulars, you do not need to say more or less because it is already in the word = older.
Comparisons - irregular joven young menor = younger The student is younger than the teacher. El estudiante es menor que el profesor. NOTICE: This sentence does not use más or menos.
Comparisons - irregular mal bad peor = worse The rain is worse than the snow. La lluvia es peor que la nieve. NOTICE: This sentence does not use más or menos.
Comparisons - irregular bueno good mejor = better The pen writes better than the pencil. El bolígrafo escribe mejor que el lápiz. NOTICE: This sentence does not use más or menos.