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Unit Ten Comparatives and Superlatives
Unit Ten Comparatives and Superlatives
Unit Ten Comparatives and Superlatives
Comparatives
In Unit 7 we saw that adjectives must agree in number and gender with the noun to which
they refer. By placing más or menos before adjectives and que after them we can make
comparisons as follows:
When making a comparison using pronouns, the subject pronoun (see Unit 1) must be
used after que:
e.g. (Yo) soy más fuerte que tú.
I am stronger than you.
(Nosotros) somos más ricos que ellos.
We are richer than them.
The comparisons can be further qualified by using the following adverbs before más or
menos:
mucho much/a lot
bastante quite/considerably
un pocoa little
algo rather/somewhat
e.g. Juan es mucho más inteligente que Pedro.
Juan is much more intelligent than Pedro.
Basic Spanish: A grammar and workbook 74
The exception to this is the expression no … más que (only) that can be used before
quantities:
A few adjectives have special comparative forms, although in some cases it is possible to
use más or menos before them in the same way as other adjectives, but with a slightly
different meaning or context:
Adjective Comparative
bueno mejor better
malo peor worse
grande mayor bigger, older
más grande bigger
Comparatives and superlatives 75
mayor and menor are especially used to indicate older and younger in family
relationships:
mi hermano mayor
my older brother
su hermana menor
his younger sister
Superlatives
más and menos are also used to form superlatives – ‘biggest’, ‘youngest’, ‘most
interesting’, etc. The absence of the following que indicates that a superlative rather than
a comparative is intended:
Exercises
1 How would you express the following in Spanish?
1 María is taller than Pepe.
2 This chair is less expensive than that one.
3 Nuria is more beautiful than Loreto.
4 Marta is less intelligent than Iciar.
5 That glass is fuller than this one.
6 This handbag is heavier than that one.
7 That novel is more interesting than this one.
8 Pedro is less tired than José.
9 Juanjo is more attractive than Miguel.
10 Rafael is fatter than Luis.
2 Complete the following comparisons using the information given at the end of the
sentence:
1 Esta mesa es _____ cara que aquella. (considerably more)
2 Alvaro es _____ simpático que Nacho. (a lot more)
3 Esa revista es _____ informativa que ésta. (a little less)
4 Maite está _____ cansada que Arancha. (rather more)
5 Este piso es _____ caro que aquel. (considerably more)
6 Esas chicas son _____ más elegantes que yo. (much less)
7 La película de hoy es _____ interesante que la de ayer. (somewhat less)
8 Este perro está _____ gordo que este gato. (a little more)
9 El coche de Mario está _____ sucio que el de Elena. (somewhat more)
10 El sueldo de Jesús es _____ alto que el de Eugenia. (a lot more)
3 más/menos que or más/menos de?
1 Son más _____ veinte estudiantes en esa clase.
2 Esperan menos _____ quince millones de premio.
3 Tienen más dinero _____ Pedro.
4 No quiero más _____ trece euros para esta tarde.
5 Necesito menos _____ trece euros para esta tarde.
6 Ganan menos sueldo _____ esas secretarias.
7 No tienen más _____ seis cervezas en la nevera.
8 Leen más _____ dos libros a la semana.
9 Esperamos menos problemas _____ el año pasado.
10 Bebéis más _____ ocho cafés al día.
4 Complete the following sentences with the information given in brackets:
1 Mi hermano es _____ que yo. (older)
2 Los problemas de Pedro son _____ que los de Juan. (bigger)
Comparatives and superlatives 77
Cultural brief