Capitulo Ocho - Gramatica Cuatro (Comparatives and superlatives)

Question 1

What are comparatives?

Answer 1

Comparatives compare two or more objects. Comparisons in Spanish use más and menos (more and less) to make comparisons between people, actions, and things. Más and menos can be used with nouns, adjectives, verbs, and adverbs. Hay más libros en esta tienda que en aquella. There are more books in this store than in that one. Este libro es menos interesante que ese. This book is less interesting than that one. Yo leo menos que el. I read less than he (does). El lee mas lentamente que yo. He reads more slowly than I do.

Question 2

What are superlatives?

Answer 2

Superlatives indicate that one object exceeds or stands above all others. Superlative forms indicate that something exceeds all others. Este libro es interesantísimo. This book is really interesting. Es el más interesante de todos. It’s the most interesting of all of them.

Question 3

tanto + noun + como

Answer 3

“equal,” “as much as,” “the same as.” Tengo tanto dinero como tu. I have as much money as you. Tengo tantas tarjetas de credito como tu. I have as many credit cards as you.

Question 4

más/menos + noun + que

Answer 4

“more than,” “less than.” Tengo más dinero que tu. I have more money than you. Tengo menos tarjetas de credito que tu. I have fewer credit cards than you.

Question 5

tan + adjective + como

Answer 5

“equal,” “as much as,” “the same as.” Este reloj es tan caro como ese. This watch is as expensive as that one.

Question 6

mas/menos + adjective + que

Answer 6

more/less than Este reloj es más caro que ese. This watch is more expensive than that one.

Question 7

verb + tanto como

Answer 7

equal/as much as/the same as Compro tanto como tu. I bought more than you.

Question 8

verb +más/menos + que

Answer 8

more/less than Ella compra menos que yo, pero el compra mas que yo. She bought less than me, but he bought more than me.

Question 9

tan + adverb + como

Answer 9

equal/as much as/ the same as Pago mis cuentas tan rapidamente como tu. I pay my bills as quickly as you.

Question 10

mas/menos + adverb + que

Answer 10

more/less than Ella paga sus cuentas mas rapidamente que yo, period el paga menos rapidamente que yo. She pays her bills faster than me, but he pays his bills slower than me.

Question 11

bueno -> mejor

Answer 11

good -> better Este libro es bueno, pero ese libro es mejor. This book is good, but that book is better.

Question 12

malo -> peor

Answer 12

bad -> worse Esta tienda es mala, pero esa tienda es peor. This store is bad, but that one is worse.

Question 13

joven -> menor

Answer 13

young -> younger Los dos somos jovenes, pero Ramedios es menor que yo. We are both young, but Ramedios is younger than me.

Question 14

viejo -> mayor

Answer 14

old -> older Martin no es viejo, pero es mayor que Remedios. Martin is not old, but he is older than Remedios.

Question 15

bien -> mejor

Answer 15

well -> better Lorena canta muy bien, pero Alfonso canta mejor. Lorena sings very well, but Alfonso sings even better.

Question 16

mal -> peor

Answer 16

bad -> worse Nosotros bailamos mal, pero ellos bailan peor. We dance badly, but they dance worse!

Question 17

How do you form a superlative?

Answer 17

In order to say that something is “extremely/very” something, add -ísimo to the end of an adjective. (If it ends in a vowel, remove that vowel first). facil -> facilísimo (very easy) contento -> contentísimo (extremely happy) To say that something is the “most” or the “least” of something, use this formula instead of “ísimo”: article + noun + mas/menos + adjective + de Roberto es el estudiante más popular de la universidad. Roberto is the most popular student at the university. Ellas son las dependientes más trabajadores de almacen. Those girls are the most dependable of all the workers at the store.