 |
|||||||||
|
Spanish Grammar: Comparisons
Comparison of Adjectives
Adjectives have three degrees of comparison: positive, comparative, and superlative.
POSITIVE: We use the positive degree of adjectives when no comparison is involved.
He is a tall boy.
COMPARATIVE: We use the comparative degree when comparing two objects, persons, or ideas.
He is taller than I am.
We form the comparative degree of most adjectives by adding -er to the positive degree (tall, taller; smooth, smoother). If the adjective has more than two syllables, we form the comparative with more (interesting, more interesting).
SUPERLATIVE: We use the superlative form when comparing three or more objects, persons, or ideas:
He is the tallest boy in the class.
We form the superlative degree by adding -est to the positive degree (tall, tallest; smooth, smoothest). If the adjective has more than two syllables, we form the superlative with most (interesting, most interesting).
A few adjectives have special comparative and superlative degrees: good, better, best; bad, worse, worst.
| Positive | Comparative | Superlative |
tall |
taller |
tallest |
smooth |
smoother |
smoothest |
interesting |
more interesting |
most interesting |
good |
better |
best |
bad |
worse |
worst |
|
|
top |
Comparison of Adverbs
Adverbs are compared in much the same way as adjectives.
COMPARATIVE: We form the comparative degree of some adverbs simply by adding -er to the positive degree (soon, sooner; late, later). If, however, the adjective has more than two syllables and would be awkward to pronounce if -er were added, then we form the comparative by the use of more (or less): Examples — quickly, more quickly; pleasantly, more pleasantly.
SUPERLATIVE: We form the superlative degree of some adverbs by adding -est to the positive degree (soon, soonest; late, latest). However, the superlative of most adverbs is formed by placing most before the positive form: Examples — frequently, most frequently; pleasantly, most pleasantly.
So, the comparative of most adverbs is formed by placing more and the superlative by placing most before the positive form.
A few adverbs have special comparative and superlative forms: well, better, best, badly, worse, worst; far, farther, farthest.
| Positive | Comparative | Superlative |
soon |
sooner |
soonest |
late |
later |
latest |
quickly |
more quickly |
most quickly |
well |
better |
best |
badly |
worse |
worst |
far |
farther |
farthest |
|
|
top |
Comparisons In Spanish
In Spanish the word "más" is placed before the positive for the comparative degree, and the definite article is placed before the comparative degree to obtain the superlative.
| POSITIVE | COMPARATIVE | SUPERLATIVE |
rico (rich) |
más rico (richer) |
el más rico (richest) |
rica (rich) |
más rica (richer) |
la más rica (richest) |
ricos (rich) |
más ricos (richer) |
los más ricos (richest) |
ricas (rich) |
más ricas (richer) |
las más ricas (richest) |
The comparison of adverbs is the same as for adjectives except that the direct article is not used for the superlatives.
| POSITIVE | COMPARATIVE | SUPERLATIVE |
rápido (fast) |
más rápido (faster) |
más rápido (fastest) |
rápido (fast) |
más rápido (faster) |
más rápida (fastest) |
despacio (slow) |
más despacio (slower) |
más despacio (slowest) |
When comparing two people or two things the following formula is used to express inequality:
FORMULA:
Subject + Verb + más / menos + [adj. or adv.] + que + [person or thing being compared to the subject]
Soy más alto que María.
I am taller than Maria.
Ella es más rica que Juan.
She is richer than Juan.
Este mes se pasó más despacio que el mes pasado.
This month went by slower than last month.
Yo corro más rápido que tú.
I run faster than you.
Note: When introducing a phrase or clause not containing a conjugated verb, than is expressed by que; however, if it precedes a number, de is used.
La casa vale más de diez mil dólares.
The house is worth more than ten thousand dollars.
Note: When the than clause contains a conjugated verb, than is rendered in Spanish by the full forms: (a) del que, (b) de la que, (c) de los que, (d) de las que is used when the antecedent is an adjective or adverb, the inflected forms are used when the antecedent is a noun.
La ofensa era más seria de lo que creíamos.
The offense was more serious than (what) we thought.
Juan corre más rápido de lo que me imaginaba.
Juan runs faster than I imagined.
Él tiene más dinero del que necesita.
He has more money than (what) he needs.
Ella vendió más canastas de las que esperaba vender.
She sold more baskets than (what) she expected to sell.
Note: In the superlative degree, of or in is translated by de.
Este hombre es el más rico del pueblo.
This man is the richest in town.
María es la más linda de la clase.
Maria is the prettiest in the class.
As seen in the last two examples above, the word order of the superlative may take either form. The first is the more common. The possessive adjective may take the place of the definite article.
Mi primo más alto está aquí.
My tallest cousin is here.
Su amigo más íntimo está malo.
His closest friend is sick.
The comparative of an adjective or adverb may be of a lesser degree rather than a greater degree. In this case the word menos is used instead of más. In all the foregoing examples, menos, meaning less, can replace más to render the opposite effect.
There are four adjectives that are compared irregularly in Spanish. Of the four grande and pequeño are also compared regularly, in which case they have their regular meaning of size. The irregular comparisons of grande and pequeño generally refer to age.
| POSITIVE | COMPARATIVE | SUPERLATIVE |
bueno (good) |
mejor (better) |
el mejor (the best) |
malo (bad) |
peor (worse) |
el peor (the worst) |
grande (old) * |
mayor (older)*** |
el mayor (the oldest) |
pequeño (young)** |
menor (younger) |
el menor (the youngest) |
* also - large
** also - small
*** old (viejo) and young (joven) can also be compared regularly, but this is generally for animals and things.
Este hombre es mayor que mi hermano, pero es más pequeño.
This man is older than my brother, but he is smaller.
Juan es el más pequeño de mis hijos, pero no es el menor.
Juan is the smallest of my sons, but he is not the youngest.
Notice the following uses of mayor and menor.
Perdí la mayor parte de mi dinero.
I lost, the greater part (most) of my money.
Esta tienda vende al por mayor.
This store sells at wholesale.
Aquella tienda vende al por menor.
That store sells at retail.
There are also four adverbs which are compared irregularly:
| POSITIVE | COMPARATIVE | SUPERLATIVE |
bien (well) |
mejor (better) |
mejor (best) |
mal (badly) |
peor (worse) |
peor (worst) |
mucho (much) |
más (more) |
más (most) |
poco (little) |
menos (less) |
menos (least) |
|
|
top |
ABSOLUTE SUPERLATIVE
The absolute superlative is formed by adding -ísimo, -ísima, -ísimos, or -ísimas to the adjective or adverb. If the adjective ends in a vowel, remove the vowel before attaching the endings. Do the same for adverbs. The absolute superlative does not directly compare one thing to another, but merely states "a greater amount of," and can be translated into English by placing "very" before the adjective or adverb.
| Adjective or Adverb | Absolute Superlative | |
lindo - (pretty) |
lindísima - (very pretty) |
|
rico - (rich) |
riquísimo - (very rich) |
|
mucho - (much) |
muchísimo - (much) |
|
feo - (ugly) |
feísimo - (very ugly) |
The same idea can be expressed by using the adverb muy in front of the adjective; however, the absolute superlative is stronger. Muy cannot be properly used before mucho, -a, or muchos, -as.
María es lindísima.
Maria is very pretty. (emphatic)
María es muy linda.
Maria is very pretty.
Muchísimas gracias.
Thank you very, very much.
Hay muchísimas casas.
There are very many houses.
Esta sopa es riquísima.
This soup is extremely rich.
|
|
top |
Comparison of Equality
In making comparisons of equality in Spanish, the English words as, as much, and as many are replaced by the Spanish words tan, tanto, -a, tantos, -as respectively. The second word as, translated into Spanish by como, is invariable.
tan ................................ como |
as ........................... as |
tanto, -a ....................... como |
as much .................. as |
tantos, -as ................... como |
as many................... as |
When comparing two persons or things to express equality with respect to a noun the following formula is used:
FORMULA:
Subject + Verb + Tanto/a/os/as + Noun + como + [person or thing being compared to the subject]
José tiene tantos libros como Ana.
Jose has as many books as Ana.
Juan tiene tanto dinero como Eduardo.
Juan has as much money as Eduardo.
Hay tanta tinta en este boli como en aquél.
There is as much ink in this pen as in that one.
Él ha escrito tantas cartas como Ud.
He has written as many letters as you.
When comparing two persons or things to express equality with respect to a quality (adjective or adverb), the following formula is used.
FORMULA:
Subject + Verb + tan + [adj. or adv.] + como + [person or thing being compared to the subject]
María es tan alta como Juan.
Maria is as tall as Juan.
Este libro es tan grande como el suyo.
This book is as large as yours.
|
|
top |
How to Use Sino — How Used
The connective sino, meaning but, is used instead of pero in an affirmative statement in which the verb is omitted following a negative statement.
Note: Sino can only be used when the statement that precedes it is negative and when the idea of the first statement and the second statement are mutually exclusive.
No voy al teatro sino a la iglesia.
I am not going to the theater but to church.
Él no es americano sino español.
He is not an American but a Spaniard.
BUT
No tengo libros pero tengo plumas.
I do not have any books, but I have some pens.
|
|
top |
How To Express "ONLY"
The English word "only" is expressed in several different ways in Spanish.
No leo sino libros ingleses.
I read only English books.
No tengo sino cuatro pesos.
I have only four dollars.
Tengo sólo cuatro pesos.
I have only four dollars.
Tengo cuatro pesos no más.
I have only four dollars.
(I have four dollars, no more.)
No tengo más que cuatro pesos.
I have only four dollars
(no more than four dollars).
BUT:
Tengo más de cuatro pesos.
I have more than four dollars.
Tengo menos de cuatro pesos.
I have less than four dollars.