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Grammar: Comparative sentences in Spanish

Published 29/05/2015 In Blog

 

Más guapa (prettier), más alto (taller) and menos bonito (nicer) are the comparative form of the adjectives. They are used to compare two people, animals or things.

 

  • Construction of the comparative:

 

Superiority (+) ® más (more) + adjective (+que) (than)                        

Pedro es más alto y más guapo que su hermana María

Peter is taller and better looking than his sister Maria

 

 

Inferiority (-) ® menos (less) + adjectitve (+que) (than)

Laura es menos inteligente que Clara

Laura is less intelligent than Clara

 

 

Irregular forms:

+ viejo (old) > mayor (older)

- viejo > menor (younger)

 

+ bueno (good) > mejor (better)

- bueno   > peor (worse)

 

 

  • The adjective has the same form (masculine or feminine, singular or plural) than the person, animal or thing it’s referring to.

           

                        Mis primos son más altos que yo (My cousins are taller than I)

                       

                        Estas casas son más caras (These houses are more expensive)

 

 

            But!!

           

            mayor/menor/mejor/peor (older/younger/better/worse) in singular and femenine are:

 

            mayores/menores/ mejores/peores in plural and femenine

 

So, for example:

 

Esta carpeta es peor > Estas carpetas son peores

This folder is worse   > These folders are worse

To express equality in a comparison there are two expressions in Spanish:

Tan grande como, tan alto como, igual de grande, igual de alto (as big as, as tall as) They are used to indicate if a certain quality –in this case alto and grande – is the same or not in two people, animals or things.

 

Examples: Pablo es igual de grande que su sobrino Mario

                 Pablo es as tall as his nephew Mario

 

 

  • Construction

 

                           - tan + adjetivo + como   (as + adjective + as)

                                     María es tan simpática como su hermana

                                   Mary is as friendly as her sister

 

         Equality (=)

 

                          - igual de + adjetivo (+que) (as + adjective + as)

                                     Juan es igual de inteligente que su hermano

 

 

  • Again the adjective has the same form (masculine or feminine, singular or plural) than the person, animal or thing it’s referring to.

           

            Mi coche es tan pequeño como el tuyo

            My car is as small as yours

 

            Mi perro es tan nervioso como el tuyo

            My dog is as nervous as yours

 

Hopefully this grammar explanation will have helped you to understand how we form comparatives in Spanish, but if it isn't so don't hesitate to send me an email with your questions at info@keelyalgarlanguages.com

I will be more than happy to answer!

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