Comparative and Superlative Adjectives - Adjetivos Comparativos y Superlativos

37. Comparative and superlative adjectives (English)

Formulas exist for the comparative adjectives and the superlative adjectives.

 

This lesson includes information on:

 

1.                  Comparative Adjectives

2.                  Superlative Adjectives

3.                  Related Vocabulary

 

 

1. Comparative Adjectives

In Spanish as in English, we use comparatives to express comparisons of superiority, equality, and inferiority. The comparisons of equality have their own formula.

 

a)                  To express more… than…, one uses the following forms:

 

·                     When using an adjective, adverb or noun in a comparison, one uses the form:

 

Verb + más + adjective, adverb, noun + que

 

Spanish	English
Roberto es más energético que Pablo.	Robert is more energetic than Pablo.

 

·                     When comparing two things directly, one uses the form:

 

Verb + más + que

 

 

·                     When using numbers, one uses the form:

 

Verb + más + de + number, quantity

 

*This form is only valid for affirmative sentences.

 

·                     When comparing two clauses, one uses the form:

 

Verb + más + adjective, adverb, noun + de lo (la,los,las) que

 

Spanish	English
Esa montaña es más peligrosa de lo que creemos.	This mountain is more dangerous than we think.

 

b)                  To express less… than…, one uses the following forms:

 

·                     When using an adjective, adverb or noun in a comparison, one uses the form:

 

Verb + menos + adjective, adverb, noun + que

 

Spanish	English
Roberto es menos energético que Pablo.	Robert is less energetic than Pablo.

 

·                     When comparing two things directly, one uses the form:

 

Verb + menos + que

 

 

·                     When using numbers, one uses the form:

 

Verb + menos + de + number, quantity

 

*This form is only valid in affirmative sentences.

 

·                     When comparing two clauses, one uses the form:

 

Verb + menos + adjective, adverb, noun + de lo (la,los,las) que

 

 

c)                  To express equality, one uses the following forms:

 

·                     When expressing equality regarding people and things, one uses the form:

 

Verb + tan + adjective, adverb, noun + como

 

 

·                     When expressing equality regarding quantity, one uses the form:

 

Verb + tanto + adjective, adverb, noun + como

 

*When using tanto… como…, tanto is a modifier and must agree in gender and singular/plural with the noun. For example, if there are as many cars as, the statement would be written: Hay tantos coches como….

 

d)                  There are some irregular comparisons.

 

·                     With bueno (good) and bien(well) one uses mejor. With malo (bad) and mal (bad) one uses peor.

 

 

·                     With joven(young) and pequeño(small) one uses menor. With Viejo (old) and grande(large) one uses mayor.

 

 

·                     Alto(high) and bajo(low) use different words for each level of comparison.

 

 

 

2. Superlative Adjectives

 

a)                  The superlatives that form the adjectives only add a definite article. For example, valiente is the adjective, más valiente is the comparative, and el más valiente is the superlative.

·                     To express the most, one uses the form:

 

El (la) más + adjective + (de)

 

*The superlative in relation to the other elements of the same type uses the superlative form followed by the preposition de.

 

·                     To express the least, one uses the form:

 

El (la) menos + adjective + (de)

 

 

b)                  The superlatives that form the adverbs do not use the article. For example, claramente is the adverb, más claramente is the comparative, and más claramente is the superlative.

·                     To express the most using an adverb, one uses the form:

Más + adverb

 

 

·                     To express the least using an adverb, one uses the form:

 

Menos + adverb

 

 

c)                  The independent superlative can use:

muy, sumamente, extraordinariamente, extremadamente + adjective or adverb

 

 

d)                  The adjective + ísimo (a, os, as) is another independent superlative. The adverb + ísimo is used as an independent superlative.

Adjective/adverb + ísimo (a,os,as)

 

 

Some adjectives change their spelling when ísimo is added to the end. The following is a list of those adjectives:

 

 

 

3. Related Vocabulary