Spanish: Comparisons
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Degrees of Comparison
In english we distinguish two types of degrees comparison: we can say "big - bigger - the biggest", but we can also say "intelligent - more intelligent - the most intelligent", notice that this second type consists of using an auxiliary word. Almost all degrees of comparison in spanish are of this type, we will illustrate this with the same example:
- big - grande
- bigger - más grande
- the biggest - el/la más grande
- intelligent - inteligente
- more intelligent - más inteligente
- the most intelligent - el/la más inteligente
Where you see "el/la" listed you of course use "el" when referring to masculine nouns and "la" when referring to feminine nouns.
Instead of saying "more intelligent", we can also say "less intelligent":
- intelligent - inteligente
- less intelligent - menos inteligente
- the least intelligent - el/la menos inteligente
Irregulars
good-- bueno/buena/buenos/buenas
better-- mejor/mejores
best-- (el) mejor/(la) mejor/(los)mejores/(las) mejores
bad-- malo/mala/malos/malas
worse-- peor/peores
best-- (el)peor/(la)peor/(los)peores/(las)peores
big-- grande/grandes
bigger-- mayor/mayores
biggest-- (el) mayor/(la)mayor/(los)mayores/(las)mayores
small-- pequeño/pequeña/pequeños/pequeñas
smaller-- menor/menores
smallest-- (el)menor/(la)menor/(los)menores/(las)menores
- The word old in spanish is "viejo." It uses mayor and mayores also.
For example: My older brother is good. Mi mayor hermano es bueno.
- The word for young is "joven." It also uses menor and menores also.
For example: My younger brother is good. Mi menor hermano es bueno.
- Also, the ending ito/ita is used alot instead of saying young or small. Ito/ita used at the ending of a word makes the word small or cute.
For example: My little brother is good. Mi hermano pequeño es bueno. Or Mi hermanito es bueno.
Mejor/menor ect. is used before the noun.
El/la/los/las is used before mejor/menor ect. to say its the best or the smallest ect. El/la isn't used before mejor/menor ect. to mean "the better." Using articles before mejor/menor ect. is usually understood as the best/the smaller ect.
Rosa is a good dancer.-- Rosa es una buena bailadora.
Maria is a better dancer.-- Maria es un mejor bailadora.
Ana is the best dancer.-- Ana es la mejor bailadora.
Maria and Ana are the best dancers.-- Maria y Ana son las mejores bailadoras.
Also, when using mejor/peor/mayor/menor or any other use de (of) instead of en. When you say something is the best/smartest ect. in the ____, use de.
Maria is the worst dancer in the world.-- Maria es la peor bailadora del mundo.
Jaime and Ignacio are the saddest men in the house.-- Jaime e Ignacio son los hombres más tristes de la casa.
John is the shortest boy in the pool.-- Juan es el chico más bajo de la piscina.
Irregulars
English Spanish (singular) Spanish (plural)
good bueno/buena buenos/buenas better mejor mejores best (el) mejor/(la) mejor (los)mejores/(las) mejores
bad malo/mala malos/malas worse peor peores best (el)peor/(la)peor (los)peores/(las)peores
big grande grandes bigger mayor mayores biggest (el) mayor/(la)mayor (los)mayores/(las)mayores
- The word old in spanish is "viejo." It uses mayor and mayores also. For example: My older brother is good. Mi mayor hermano es bueno.
small pequeño/pequeña pequeños/pequeñas smaller menor menores smallest (el)menor/(la)menor (los)menores/(las)menores
- The word for young is "joven." It also uses menor and menores also.
For example: My younger brother is good. Mi menor hermano es bueno.
- Also, the ending ito/ita is used alot instead of saying young or small. Ito/ita used at the ending of a word makes the word small or cute. For example: My little brother is good. Mi hermano pequeño es bueno. Or Mi hermanito es bueno.
Mejor/menor ect. is used before the noun.
El/la/los/las is used before mejor/menor ect. to say its the best or the smallest ect. El/la isn't used before mejor/menor ect. to mean "the better." Using articles before mejor/menor ect. is usually understood as the best/the smaller ect.
Rosa is a good dancer. Rosa es una buena bailadora. Maria is a better dancer. Maria es un mejor bailadora. Ana is the best dancer. Ana es la mejor bailadora. Maria and Ana are the Maria y Ana son las mejores
best dancers. bailadoras.
Also, when using mejor/peor/mayor/menor or any other use de (of) instead of en. When you say something is the best/smartest ect. in the ____, use de.
Maria is the worst dancer in the Maria es la peor bailadora del
world. mundo.
Jaime and Ignacio are the saddest Jaime e Ignacio son los hombres
men in the house. más tristes de la casa.
John is the shortest boy in the Juan es el chico más bajo de la
pool. piscina.
Comparison of Inequality
A comparison of inequality compares to things that are not equal, in spanish this construction is made with a degree of comparison and the word que:
- He is happier than I [am] - Él está más feliz que yo
Comparison of Equality
We can also express an equality, this is done with the construction tan...como...:
- He is as happy as I [am] - Él está tan feliz como yo
