Comparatives Español 2-2 Sra. Carpinella

What are comparisons? Comparisons are made when one object/one group is compared to another and a difference is apparent. Comparisons are between 2 things, groups, ideas, or concepts.

Comparison - qualities Comparisons that are regular have the same pattern: más/menos + adjective + que más = more menos = less que = than [notice… no accent!]

Comparison – qualities The boy is taller than the girl. This is a comparison of two people’s qualities. It will use the formula más + adjective + que Taller is not a word in Spanish, comparative words that end in –er in English are made by saying more and then the adjective in Spanish. Taller = more tall = más alto

Comparison - qualities The boy is taller than the girl Más + adjective+ que El chico es más alto que la chica. Make sure the adjective agrees in number and gender with the subject.

Comparisons - qualities The cats are smaller than the dogs. Más + adjective + que Los gatos son más pequeños que los perros. Make sure the adjective agrees in number and gender with the subject.

Comparison - qualities The boy is taller than the girl Más + adjective+ que El chico es más alto que la chica. Make sure the adjective agrees in number and gender with the subject. There is a second way of saying this: use menos El chico es menos bajo que la chica. The boy is less short than the girl.

Comparisons - qualities The cats are smaller than the dogs. Más + adjective + que Los gatos son más pequeños que los perros. Make sure the adjective agrees in number and gender with the subject. There is a second way of saying this: use menos Los gatos son menos grandes que los perros. The cats are less big than the dogs.

Comparisons - quantities I have more money than you. Más + noun + que Yo tengo más dinero que tú. There is a second way of saying this: use menos Tú tienes menos dinero que yo. You have less money than I do.

Comparison - quantities Susana has more than ten fish. Más + de + number Susana tiene más de diez peces. The bird costs less than 500 pesos. Menos + de + number El pájaro cuesta menos de 500 pesos. To compare numbers with más and menos, you use de instead of que.

Comparisons - irregulars There are 4 adjectives that have irregular comparative forms: Viejo old Jovenyoung Malbad Buenogood

Comparisons - irregular Viejoold Mayor = older The clock is older than the table. El reloj es mayor que la mesa. NOTICE: This sentence does not use más or menos. With irregulars, you do not need to say more or less because it is already in the word = older.

Comparisons - irregular jovenyoung menor = younger The student is younger than the teacher. El estudiante es menor que el profesor. NOTICE: This sentence does not use más or menos. With irregulars, you do not need to say more or less because it is already in the word = younger.

Comparisons - irregular malbad peor = worse The rain is worse than the snow. La lluvia es peor que la nieve. NOTICE: This sentence does not use más or menos. With irregulars, you do not need to say more or less because it is already in the word = worse.

Comparisons - irregular buenogood mejor = better The pen writes better than the pencil. El bolígrafo escribe mejor que el lápiz. NOTICE: This sentence does not use más or menos. With irregulars, you do not need to say more or less because it is already in the word = better.

Comparisons - equality You use the “expressions of equality” when saying two things are equal in comparison. Tan + adjective + como Tanto/a(s) + noun + como

Comparisons - equality When comparing something that cannot be counted (adjectives), you use: tan + adjective (must agree with noun) + como She is as nice as he. You cannot count nice, therefore that is an adjective. You must make the adjective, nice, agree with the noun, she. Ella es tan simpática como él.

Comparisons - equality The girls are as athletic as the boys. You cannot count athletic, so we must use tan. You must make athletic agree with girls. Las chicas son tan atléticas como los chicos. He is as tall as she. You cannot count tall. Use tan. Él es tan alto como ella.

Comparisons - equality When you compare items that can be counted (nouns), you use another formula. Tanto(a) + noun + como Tanto must agree with the noun that you’re counting For example: He has as many books as she. You can count the number of books that they have, so you use the tanto formula. Él tiene tantos libros como ella.

Comparisons - equality They have as many classes as we do. You can count the number of classes. Use tanto. Ellos tienen tantas clases como nosotros. She plays as many sports as he does. You can count the number of sports. Use tanto. Ella juega tantos deportes como él.

Comparisons - special When there is no noun or adjective use the formulas: Tanto + como (equality) Más (menos) + que He sleeps as much as a baby. Él duerme tanto como un bebé. I like to read more than write. Me gusta leer más que escribir. Francisca plays soccer less than tennis. Francisca juega al fútbol menos que al tenis.