11.1: Comparisons Flashcards
Comparisons of equality:
The following construction is used to compare two people or things that have equal qualities:
TAN (as) + adjective/adverb + COMO (as)
TANTO(S)/TANTA(S) (as much, many) + noun + COMO (as)
verb + TANTO COMO
Adjective:
La blusa ropa es TAN BONITA COMO la azul.
The red blouse is AS PRETTY AS the blue one.
Adverb:
Yo no canto TAN BIEN COMO mi esposo.
I don’t sing AS WELL AS my husband.
Noun:
Ella tiene TANTOS ZAPATOS COMO Esmeralda.
She has AS MANY SHOES AS Esmeralda.
Verb:
Él trabaja TANTO COMO ella.
He works AS MUCH AS she does.
Comparisons of inequality
The following constructions are used to compare two people or things that have unequal qualities:
más (more)/menos (less) + adjective + que (than)
noun
adverb
verb + más/menos + que
Adjective
La seda es más cara que el algodón.
Silk is more expensive than cotton.
Noun
Pilar compró menos ropa que su hermana.
Pilar bought less clothing than her sister.
Adverb
Pancho conduce más rápido que Iván.
Pancho drives faster than Iván.
Verb
El sombrero cuesta menos que los guantes.
The hat costs less than the gloves.
The following adjective and adverbs do not use más or menos in their constructions:
bueno/bien -> mejor (better)
joven -> menor (younger)
malo/mal -> peor (worse)
viejo (age of a person) -> mayor (older)
Aquí tienen mejores precios que allí.
Here they have better prices than there.
Diana es menor que Federico.
Diana is younger than Federico.
Superlatives
Superlative are used when someone or something is referred to as the most, the least, the best, etc. This is expressed through the following construction:
el/la/los/las + (noun) + más/menos + adjective
Es la blusa más bonita.
Son los zapatos menos caros.
Este traje es el traje más caro de esta tienda.
This suit is the most expensive suit in the store.
Esta talla es la más grande.
This size is the biggest.
Notice that it is possible to leave out the subject.
As with the other comparisons, when using bueno/bien, malo/mal, joven, and viejo (age), you must use the irregular constructions mejor, peor, menor, and mayor.
Esta tienda tiene las mejores ofertas.
This store has the best sales.
The preposition de is often used with superlative to express of.
Este vestido es el más bonito de todos.
This dress is the prettiest of all.
Son las mejores ofertas del año.
They are the best sales of the year.
Investiguemos La Gramática
When más or menos is used with numbers or quantities it is followed by de, not que.
La falda cuesta menos de veinte dólares.
The skirt costs less than twenty dollars.
