Spanish comparative adjectives are used to compare two people, things, or groups. They can express “more ... than,” “less ... than,” or “as ... as” in Spanish. Understanding how to form these comparisons is key to describing differences and similarities.
Spanish comparative adjectives follow these basic patterns:
- More ... than: *más + adjective + que
- Less ... than: *menos + adjective + que
- As ... as: *tan + adjective + como
For example:
- María es más alta que Juan.* (María is taller than Juan.)
- Juan es menos inteligente que María.* (Juan is less intelligent than María.)
- María es tan rápida como Juan.* (María is as fast as Juan.)
How to Form Comparative Adjectives
Forming comparative adjectives in Spanish is straightforward for most adjectives. You do not change the adjective ending; just add más, menos, or tan ... como around it.
Basic Patterns
- More ... than: Use más before the adjective and que after.
más + [adjective] + que
- Less ... than: Use menos before the adjective and que after.
menos + [adjective] + que
- As ... as: Use tan before the adjective and como after.
tan + [adjective] + como
Examples
| Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|
| Ella es más alta que yo. | She is taller than I am. |
| Él es menos viejo que su hermano. | He is less old than his brother. |
| Nosotros somos tan fuertes como ellos. | We are as strong as they are. |
Adjective Agreement
The adjective agrees in gender and number with the subject or noun it describes:
- más altas* (feminine plural)
- menos inteligentes* (masculine/feminine plural)
- tan rápida* (feminine singular)
Examples:
- Ellas son más altas que nosotros.
- Los estudiantes son menos responsables que antes.
- Mi hermana es tan trabajadora como su amiga.
Irregular Comparative Adjectives
Some common adjectives have special comparative forms in Spanish. These do not use más or menos.
| Adjective | Comparative | English Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| bueno/a | mejor | better |
| malo/a | peor | worse |
| grande | mayor | bigger/older |
| pequeño/a | menor | smaller/younger |
Examples
- María es mejor estudiante que Juan.* (María is a better student than Juan.)
- Esta película es peor que la anterior.* (This movie is worse than the previous one.)
- Mi hermana es mayor que yo.* (My sister is older than I am.)
- Él es menor que su primo.* (He is younger than his cousin.)
Notes on “mayor” and “menor”
- Mayor* can mean “older” (age) or “bigger” (size).
- Menor* usually means “younger” but can also mean “smaller.”
- When talking about age, mayor and menor are the standard terms:
Soy mayor que mi hermano.* (I am older than my brother.)
Using “de” in Comparisons
When comparing numbers or quantities, use de instead of que.
- Hay más de diez estudiantes en la clase.* (There are more than ten students in the class.)
- Tengo menos de cinco euros.* (I have less than five euros.)
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- más mejor — Use mejor (better), not más bueno or más mejor.
- más peor — Use peor (worse), not más malo or más peor.
- Using que after numbers — Use de after numbers (más de, menos de).
- Not matching adjective gender/number — más alta (fem. sing.), más altos (masc. pl.).
Summary
- Use más ... que, menos ... que, and tan ... como for regular comparisons.
- Adjectives do not change form for más or menos (just agreement in gender/number).
- Irregular comparatives: mejor, peor, mayor, menor — do not use más or menos.
- Use de (not que) when comparing numbers or quantities.
- Match adjective endings to the noun/pronoun being described.
Understanding Spanish comparative adjectives lets you confidently describe differences and similarities in everyday conversation. Practice by comparing people, places, and things around you!
Flashcards (1 of 7)
- English Example: She is taller than I am.
Last updated: Thu Jun 12, 2025
