Comparatives (Junior Cert Spanish): Revision Notes
Comparatives
Overview
Comparatives and superlatives help you compare people, places, and things in Spanish. When you want to say something is bigger, smaller, better, or the best, you'll use these grammar structures. They're essential for expressing opinions and making descriptions more precise in everyday conversation.
Comparatives and superlatives are fundamental building blocks for expressing opinions and making nuanced descriptions in Spanish. Mastering these structures will significantly improve your ability to communicate preferences and make detailed comparisons.
Rules & formation
The comparative
Use comparatives when comparing two things. Spanish has three main patterns:
More than: más + adjective + que
- La música es más interesante que el deporte.
- Music is more interesting than sport.
Less than: menos + adjective + que
- Pablo es menos alto que su hermano.
- Pablo is shorter (less tall) than his brother.
As...as: tan + adjective + como
- Mi habitación es tan pequeña como la tuya.
- My bedroom is as small as yours.
The adjective must agree in gender and number with the noun it describes, just like all Spanish adjectives.
The superlative
Use superlatives when comparing more than two things to show the extreme (most or least):
Pattern: el/la/los/las + (noun) + más/menos + adjective
- Buenos Aires es la ciudad más grande de Argentina.
- Buenos Aires is the biggest city in Argentina.
- Esta casa es la menos cara del pueblo.
- This house is the least expensive in the village.
The definite article (el/la/los/las) and adjective must agree with the noun being described.
Table of key forms
Regular formation
| English | Comparative | Superlative |
|---|---|---|
| big | más grande | el/la más grande |
| small | más pequeño/a | el/la más pequeño/a |
| interesting | más interesante | el/la más interesante |
| expensive | más caro/a | el/la más caro/a |
Irregular forms
| Adjective | Comparative | Superlative |
|---|---|---|
| bueno (good) | mejor (better) | el/la mejor (the best) |
| malo (bad) | peor (worse) | el/la peor (the worst) |
These irregular forms (mejor and peor) don't use más or menos. They stand alone as complete comparative and superlative forms.
Example sentences
Comparative Examples in Context:
Comparing with más/menos:
- La excursión es más cara que el hotel. - The trip is more expensive than the hotel.
- El libro es menos interesante que la película. - The book is less interesting than the movie.
Using irregular forms:
- Este hotel es mejor que el anterior. - This hotel is better than the previous one.
- Los restaurantes de aquí son peores que los de Madrid. - The restaurants here are worse than those in Madrid.
Superlative examples:
- La comida es buenísima. - The food is really good.
- Carmen es la mejor jugadora. - Carmen is the best player.
- Buenos Aires es la ciudad más grande de Argentina. - Buenos Aires is the biggest city in Argentina.
Using -ísimo for emphasis
Add -ísimo/-ísima/-ísimos/-ísimas to the end of adjectives to mean "very" or "extremely":
Adding -ísimo for Emphasis:
Step 1: Take the base adjective
- caro (expensive)
- malo (bad)
- bueno (good)
Step 2: Add the -ísimo ending with proper agreement
- caro → carísimo (very expensive)
- malo → malísimo (very bad)
- bueno → buenísimo (very good)
Step 3: Make it agree with the noun
- La comida es buenísima (The food is very good - feminine singular)
- Los precios son carísimos (The prices are very expensive - masculine plural)
This ending must agree with the noun in gender and number: La comida es buenísima (The food is very good).
Common mistakes & tips
Mistake 1: Forgetting adjective agreement
- ❌ El casa más grande
- ✅ La casa más grande (correct - both feminine singular)
Remember that both the article and adjective must match the gender and number of the noun.
Mistake 2: Using más with irregular forms
- ❌ más mejor
- ✅ mejor (just use the irregular form)
Never add más or menos to mejor and peor - they already contain the comparative meaning.
Mistake 3: Wrong article with superlatives
- ❌ Es la más buena
- ✅ Es la mejor (use irregular form)
Use the irregular superlative forms el/la mejor and el/la peor instead of el/la más bueno/a or el/la más malo/a.
Top tip: Remember that mejor and peor already mean "better" and "worse" - don't add más to them! Think of them as complete words, not adjectives that need modification.
Mini practice
Practice Exercises:
Spanish → English:
- Este libro es el peor de la serie.
- Mis hermanos son mis mejores amigos.
- La falda es la más bonita de la tienda.
English → Spanish: 4. This football match is really boring. 5. Carmen is the best player. 6. This flat is uglier than the one I saw today.
Answers:
- This book is the worst in the series.
- My brothers are my best friends.
- The skirt is the prettiest in the shop.
- Este partido de fútbol es aburridísimo.
- Carmen es la mejor jugadora.
- Este piso es más feo que el que he visto hoy.
Remember!
Key Points to Remember:
- Use más/menos + adjective + que to compare two things
- Use el/la/los/las + más/menos + adjective for superlatives
- Bueno and malo have irregular forms: mejor/peor
- Add -ísimo to adjectives for emphasis meaning "very"
- All adjectives must agree with their nouns in gender and number
- Never use más or menos with mejor and peor