8.

4 Comparisons and superlatives

ANTE TODO
Spanish and English use comparisons to indicate which of two people or things has a lesser, equal, or greater degree of a quality. Both languages also use superlatives to express the highest or lowest degree of a quality.

8.4 Comparisons and superlatives

COMPARISONS

menos interesante
less interesting

ms grande
bigger

tan sabroso como

as delicious as

SUPERLATIVES

la / el mejor
the best

la / el peor
the worst

la ms alta
the tallest

8.4 Comparisons and superlatives

Comparisons of inequality
Comparisons of inequality are formed by placing ms (more) or menos (less) before adjectives, adverbs, and nouns and que (than) after them.
adjective

ms/menos

adverb noun

+ que

8.4 Comparisons and superlatives

Comparisons of inequality
ADJECTIVES

Los bistecs son ms caros que el pollo.

Steaks are more expensive than chicken.

Estas uvas son menos sabrosas que esa pera.

These grapes are less tasty than that pear.

8.4 Comparisons and superlatives

Comparisons of inequality
ADVERBS

Me acuesto ms tarde que t.

I go to bed later than you (do).

Mi hermano se despierta menos temprano que yo.

My brother wakes up less early than I (do).

8.4 Comparisons and superlatives

Comparisons of inequality
NOUNS

Juan prepara ms platos que Jos.

Juan prepares more dishes than Jos (does).

Susana come menos carne que Enrique.

Susan eats less meat than Enrique (does).

8.4 Comparisons and superlatives

ATENCIN!
Note that while English has a comparative form for short adjectives and adverbs (taller, later), such forms do not exist in Spanish (ms alto, ms tarde). When the comparison involves a numerical expression, de is used before the number instead of que. Hay ms de cincuenta naranjas. Llego en menos de diez minutos.

8.4 Comparisons and superlatives

Comparisons of inequality
With verbs, the following construction is used to make comparisons of inequality:
[ verb ] + ms/menos que

Mis hermanos comen ms que yo.

My brothers eat more than I (do).

Arturo duerme menos que su padre.

Arturo sleeps less than his father (does).

8.4 Comparisons and superlatives

Comparisons of equality
The following constructions are used to make comparisons of equality. tan +
adjective adverb

+ como

tanto/a (s) +

singular noun plural noun

+ como

8.4 Comparisons and superlatives

Comparisons of equality
Este plato es tan delicioso como aqul.
This dish is as delicious as that one (is).

Ustedes probaron tantos platos como ellos.

You tried as many dishes as they did.

8.4 Comparisons and superlatives

ATENCIN!
Note that tanto acts as an adjective and therefore agrees in number and gender with the noun it modifies: tantas cosas. Tan and tanto can also be used for emphasis, rather than to compare, with these meanings: tan so, tanto so much, tantos/as so many.

Tu almuerzo es tan grande!

Your lunch is so big!

Comes tanto!
You eat so much!

Comes tantas manzanas!

You eat so many apples!

8.4 Comparisons and superlatives

Comparisons of equality
Comparisons of equality with verbs are formed by placing tanto como after the verb.

Note that in this construction tanto does not change in number or gender.
[ verb ] + tanto como

No duermo tanto como mi ta.

I dont sleep as much as my aunt (does).

Estudiamos tanto como ustedes.

We study as much as you (do).

8.4 Comparisons and superlatives

Superlatives
The following construction is used to form superlatives. Note that the noun is always preceded by a definite article and that de is equivalent to the English in or of.
el / la / los / las + [ noun ] + ms / menos + [ adjective ] + de

Es el caf ms rico del pas.

Its the most delicious coffee in the country.

Es el men menos caro de todos stos.

It is the least expensive menu of all of these.

8.4 Comparisons and superlatives

Superlatives

ATENCIN!
While ms alone means more, after a noun or a definite article, it means most.

8.4 Comparisons and superlatives

Superlatives
The noun in a superlative construction can be omitted if the person, place, or thing referred to is clear.
El restaurante El Crter?
The El Crter restaurant?

Es el ms elegante de la ciudad.
Its the most elegant (one) in the city.

Recomiendo el pollo asado.

I recommend the roast chicken.

Es el ms sabroso del men.

Its the most delicious (thing) on the menu.

8.4 Comparisons and superlatives

Irregular comparisons and superlatives
Adjective Comparative Form Superlative Form

bueno/a good
malo/a bad grande/a big pequeo/a small joven young viejo/a old

mejor better
peor worse mayor bigger menor smaller menor younger mayor older

el/la mejor (the) best

el/la peor (the) worst el/la mayor (the) biggest el/la menor (the) smallest el/la menor (the) youngest el/la mayor (the) eldest

8.4 Comparisons and superlatives

Irregular comparatives and superlatives
When grande and pequeo/a refer to age, the irregular comparative and superlative forms, mayor and menor, are used. However, when these adjectives refer to size, the regular forms, ms grande and ms pequeo/a, are used. Isabel es la mayor de su familia.
Isabel is the eldest in her family.

Tu ensalada es ms grande que sa.

Your salad is bigger than that one.

Yo soy menor que t.

Im younger than you.

Ped el plato ms pequeo del men.

I ordered the smallest dish on the menu.

8.4 Comparisons and superlatives

Irregular comparatives and superlatives
The adverbs bien and mal have the same irregular comparative forms as the adjectives bueno/a and malo/a.
Julio nada mejor que los otros chicos.
Julio swims better than the other boys.

Ellas cantan peor que las otras chicas.

They sing worse than the other girls.

8.4 Comparisons and superlatives

Absolute superlatives
In Spanish the absolute superlative is equivalent to extremely, exceptionally, super, or very before an adjective or adverb. You encountered an absolute superlative when you learned how to say: Me gusta(n) muchsimo

8.4 Comparisons and superlatives

Absolute superlatives
To form the absolute superlative of most adjectives and adverbs, drop the final vowel, if there is one, and add -simo/a(s). malo mal- malsimo mucho much- muchsimo

El bistec est malsimo!

The steak is very bad!

Comes muchsimo.
You eat a lot (very, very much).

difcil + -simo dificilsimo

fcil + -simo facilsimo

Esta prueba es dificilsima.

This quiz is exceptionally difficult.

Los exmenes son facilsimos.

The tests are extremely easy.

8.4 Comparisons and superlatives

Absolute superlatives
Adjectives and adverbs whose stem ends in c, g, or z change spelling to qu, gu, and c in the absolute superlative.
rico largo feliz riqusimo largusimo felicsimo

8.4 Comparisons and superlatives

Absolute superlatives
Adjectives that end in n or r normally form the absolute superlative by adding -csimo.
joven + -csimo jovencsimo

trabajador + -csimo trabajadorcsimo

8.4 Comparisons and superlatives

INTNTALO! Escribe el equivalente de las palabras en ingls.
Comparativos
1. (than) Ernesto mira ms televisin ____ Alberto. 2. (less) T eres ____ simptico que Federico. 3. (as much) La camarera sirve ____ carne como pescado. 4. (more) Conozco ____ restaurantes que t. 5. (as much as) No estudio ____ t. 6. (as) Sabes jugar al tenis tan bien ____ tu hermana? 7. (as many) Puedes beber ____ refrescos como yo? 8. (as) Mis amigos parecen ____ simpticos como ustedes.

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8.4 Comparisons and superlatives

INTNTALO! Escribe el equivalente de las palabras en ingls.
Superlativos
1. (the most intelligent) Marisa es _____ de todas. 2. (the least boring) Ricardo y Toms son _____ de la fiesta. 3. (the worst) Miguel y Antonio son _____ estudiantes de la clase. 4. (the eldest) Mi profesor de biologa es _____ de la universidad. 5. (extremely delicious) El pollo de este supermercado es _____ . 6. (the youngest) Carlos es _____ de mis hermanos. 7. (the best) Este plato es _____ del restaurante. 8. (extremely tall) Sara es _____ .

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