S2L2.3 Comparisons

S2L2.3 Comparisons

by Monica Gajdos

​Comparisons

​Both English and Spanish use comparisons to indicate which of two people or things has a lesser, equal, or greater degree of quality.

​menos interesante   

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 más grande  

 

 tan sabroso como

less interesting 

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bigger 

 

 as delicious as

​Comparisons of Inequality

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

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Example using an adjective:

Los bistecs son más caros que el pollo.

​​ Example using an adverb:

​ Luis se despierta menos temprano que yo.

​ Example using an noun:

​ Susana come más carne que Juan.

​Comparisons of Inequality

​When the comparison involves a numerical expression, de is used before the number instead of que.

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Hay más de cincuenta manzanas. Llego en menos de diez minutos.

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​With verbs, the following construction is used to make comparisons of inequality:

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Mis hermanos comen más que yo. Ana duerme menos que tú.

​Comparisons of Equality

​The following construction is used to make comparisons of equality:

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¡​Atención! Note that unlike tan, tanto acts as an adjective and therefore agrees in number and gender with the noun it modifies.

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Las uvas son tan ricas como las peras. Yo probé tantos platos como él.

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​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.

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¡Tu cena es tan grande! ¡Comes tantas manzanas! ¡Preparan tantos platos!

​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.

Tu viajas tanto como mi tía. Ellos viajan tanto como tú.

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​Irregular comparisons

​When grande and pequeño/a refer to age, the irregular comparative forms, mayor and menor , are used. However, when these adjectives refer to size, the regular forms, más grande and más pequeño/a, are used.

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​Yo soy menor que tú. Pedí un plato más pequeño.

​Irregular comparisons

​The adverbs bien y mal have the same irregular comparative forms as the adjectives bueno/a and malo/a.

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Julio nada mejor que los otros chicos.

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Ellos cantan peor que las chicas.