Comparisons: más, menos, el más (More, Less, The Most)
Use más or menos + adjective + que for "more/less than", tan + adjective + como for "as ... as", and el/la más ... de for "the most".
Taught in: A2.1 Week 9: Bigger, Better, Best
The rule at a glance
más / menos + adjective + que
More / less than
más ... que
more ... than
Mi hermano es más alto que yo.
My brother is taller than me.
As ... as
tan ... como
as ... as
Ana es tan inteligente como Luis.
Ana is as intelligent as Luis.
The most / least
el/la más ... de
the most ... in
Es la playa más bonita de España.
It's the most beautiful beach in Spain.
Irregular forms
mejor · peor · mayor · menor
better · worse · older · younger
Este coche es mejor que el otro.
This car is better than the other one.
- No más with the irregulars: mejor que, not más mejor. For quality, say mejor rather than más bueno.
- De, not que, after a superlative (el más alto de la clase) and before a number in positive sentences (más de veinte libros).
- As much / as many as: tanto/tanta/tantos/tantas + noun + como: Tengo tantos libros como tú. With a verb, just tanto como: Trabajo tanto como él.
Forms
Comparisons let you say something is "taller than", "as fast as" or "the best". There are three types: inequality (more or less than), equality (as ... as) and the superlative (the most or the least). The adjective always agrees with its noun in gender and number.
The formulas
| Type | Formula | Example | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| More than | subject + más + adjective + que | Juan es más alto que Pedro | Juan is taller than Pedro |
| Less than | subject + menos + adjective + que | Este libro es menos interesante que ese | This book is less interesting than that one |
| As ... as | subject + tan + adjective + como | Ana es tan inteligente como Luis | Ana is as intelligent as Luis |
| The most / least | el/la/los/las + (noun) + más/menos + adjective (+ de) | Es el estudiante más inteligente de la clase | He is the most intelligent student in the class |
| Amounts | más/menos + noun + que | Tengo más libros que tú | I have more books than you |
| Actions | verb + más/menos que | Ella estudia más que yo | She studies more than I do |
Irregular forms
Four common adjectives have irregular comparative and superlative forms. Don't use más with mejor, peor, mayor or menor. For the superlative, add the definite article: el mejor, la peor, los mayores.
| Adjective | Meaning | Comparative | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| bueno | good | mejor | better |
| malo | bad | peor | worse |
| grande | big / old (age) | mayor | bigger / older |
| pequeño | small / young | menor | smaller / younger |
When to use it
1. Más / menos ... que: more or less than
The adjective agrees with the subject: Las chicas son más altas que los chicos.
Mi hermano es más alto que yo – My brother is taller than me
Este libro es menos interesante que ese – This book is less interesting than that one
Madrid es más grande que Barcelona – Madrid is bigger than Barcelona
Esta camisa es más cara que esa – This shirt is more expensive than that one
2. Tan ... como: as ... as
Use tan ... como when two things are equal in some quality.
Soy tan fuerte como tú – I'm as strong as you
Mi coche es tan rápido como el tuyo – My car is as fast as yours
Ella es tan alta como su hermana – She is as tall as her sister
Este hotel es tan cómodo como el anterior – This hotel is as comfortable as the previous one
3. El / la más ... de: the most, the least
The article matches the noun, the adjective comes after más/menos, and "in" or "of" is de, not que.
Ella es la más simpática de la clase – She's the nicest in the class
Es el producto más barato de la tienda – It's the cheapest product in the shop
Es la ciudad más grande del país – It's the biggest city in the country
Son los libros menos interesantes de la biblioteca – They're the least interesting books in the library
4. Mejor, peor, mayor, menor
The four irregular forms never take más.
Este coche es mejor que el otro – This car is better than the other one
El tren es peor que el avión – The train is worse than the plane
Mi padre es mayor que mi madre – My father is older than my mother
Soy menor que mi hermano – I'm younger than my brother
5. Comparing amounts and actions
Más/menos + noun + que compares amounts; verb + más/menos que compares actions.
Tengo más libros que tú – I have more books than you
Hay menos estudiantes que ayer – There are fewer students than yesterday
Ella estudia más que yo – She studies more than I do
Duermo menos que mi hermano – I sleep less than my brother
Common mistakes
No más with irregular forms
Not this (incorrect): más mejor
But this (correct): mejor. Never use "más" with irregular forms (mejor, peor, mayor, menor).
Mejor, not más bueno
Not this (incorrect): Este vino es más bueno que ese
But this (correct): Este vino es mejor que ese – This wine is better than that one. Use "mejor" rather than "más bueno" for quality.
De after superlatives
Not this (incorrect): El más alto que la clase
But this (correct): El más alto de la clase – The tallest in the class. Use "de" (not "que") after superlatives to mean "in" or "of".
Más de before numbers
Not this (incorrect): Tengo más que veinte libros
But this (correct): Tengo más de veinte libros – I have more than twenty books. Use "más de" or "menos de" before numbers, not "que".
Word order in superlatives
Not this (incorrect): El más interesante libro
But this (correct): El libro más interesante – The most interesting book. English puts "most interesting" before the noun; Spanish puts the noun first: el libro más interesante.
Quick check
8 questions1. How do you say 'Maria is taller than Juan'?
'Más alta que' means 'taller than' - a comparison of inequality.
2. What's the correct way to say 'He is as intelligent as his sister'?
'Tan... como' expresses equality - 'as... as'.
3. Which is the correct superlative: 'It's the most beautiful city in Spain'?
Remember: article + noun + más/menos + adjective + de (not que).
4. How do you say 'This wine is better than that one'?
'Mejor' is the irregular comparative of 'bueno'. 'Más bueno' is heard colloquially, but 'mejor' is the standard comparative.
5. What's the correct way to say 'My father is older than my mother'?
'Mayor' is the irregular comparative for age (older). 'Más viejo' also works but 'mayor' is more common and more polite.
6. How do you say 'I have more than 20 books'?
Use 'más de' (not 'más que') before numbers.
7. Which sentence is correct: 'She studies more than I do'?
When comparing actions, use 'verb + más/menos que'.
8. What's the correct way to say 'It's the worst film of the year'?
'La peor' is the superlative of 'malo'. Structure: article + irregular form + noun. Never say 'más peor'!
Test your understanding of Spanish comparisons and superlatives.
Going further
Mayor or más grande, agreement, set expressions and more examples
Mayor or más grande?
Mayor is usually for age, más grande for physical size.
Age: Mi hermana es mayor que yo – My sister is older than me
Size: Esta casa es más grande que la otra – This house is bigger than the other
Agreement in superlatives
Adjectives agree in gender and number with the noun being described.
Fem. plural: Las casas más grandes – The biggest houses (grandes agrees with casas)
Masc. plural: Los chicos más altos – The tallest boys (altos agrees with chicos)
Common expressions
Más o menos – More or less / So-so
The more... the more: Cuanto más estudio, más aprendo – The more I study, the more I learn
More and more: Hace cada vez más calor – It's getting hotter and hotter
As... as possible: Habla lo más rápido posible – Speak as fast as possible
More examples
María es más alta que Juan – Maria is taller than Juan
Pedro es tan rápido como Ana – Pedro is as fast as Ana
Esta es la casa más grande – This is the biggest house
Los zapatos son tan buenos como los míos – The shoes are as good as mine
Son los libros menos interesantes – They're the least interesting books