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Comparatives To compare two or more items (lesser, equal, greater) To express comparisons of equality use tan + adjective + como (the equivalent in English is: “as + adjective + as”): Compré un abrigo tan caro como tú. I bought a coat as expensive as you (did). To express comparisons of equality with nouns use tanta(s)/tanto(s) + noun(s) + como (the equivalent in English is: “as many/much as”) [here tanto acts as an adjective, so it must agree in number and gender]: Compré tantos abrigos como tú. I bought as many coats as you (did). To express comparisons of equality with verbs use verb + tanto como (the equivalent in English is: “as much as”) [here tanto acts as an adverb, so it does not change in number or gender]: No comí tanto como tú. I didn’t eat as much as you (did). Comparisons of superiority are expressed with más + adjective/adverb/noun + que (the equivalent is “more + adjective + than”): Estas peras son más ricas que las manzanas. These pears are more delicious than the apples. Comparisons of inferiority are expressed with menos + adjective/adverb/noun + que (the equivalent is “less + adjective + than”). Esta carta es menos interesante que la otra. This menu is less interesting than the other (one). In comparisons that involve numerals, use de (not que): Tienen más de diez libros. They have more than ten books. If the comparison is based on an adjective from a different clause, de lo que is used instead of que to translate than: Esto es menos difícil de lo que pensaba. This is less difficult than I thought. Superlatives To express the quality of the adjective (most, least) To express the maximum degree in comparison to others in Spanish use article + noun + más/menos + adjective + de (the equivalent in English is: “is + the most/least + adjective + in/of/on”): Es el café más caro de la ciudad. It is the most expensive café in the city. Es el plato menos caro de la carta. It is the least expensive dish on the menu. The absolute superlative is the equivalent to extremely, exceptionally, super, or very before an adjective or adverb. Like all adjectives, they must agree in gender and number. To form the absolute superlative of most adjectives/adverbs, drop the final vowel, if there is one, and add –ísimo/a(s): malo malmalísimo = extremely bad muchomuchmuchísimo = very, very much If the adjective ends in –n or –r, add –císimo to form the absolute superlative: jovenjovencísimo = exceptionally young trabajadortrabajadorcísimo = super hard working If the adjective ends in c, g, or z change the spelling to qu, gu, and c: cómicocomiquísimo = extremely funny largolarguísimo = very long felizfelicísimo = exceptionally happy IRREGULAR COMPARATIVE / SUPERLATIVE FORMS: Adjective Comparative Superlative bueno(a) [good] mejor [better] el/la mejor [(the) best] malo(a) [bad] peor [worse] el/la peor [(the) worst) grande [big] *mayor / más grande [bigger] el/la mayor [(the) biggest] pequeño(a) [small] *menor / más pequeño [smaller] el/la menor [(the) smallest] joven [young] menor [younger] el/la menor [(the) youngest] viejo(a) [old] mayor [older] el/la mayor [(the) eldest] * When grande and pequeño(a) refer to age, the irregular comparative/superlative forms, mayor and menor, are used. However, when these adjectives refer to size, the regular forms, más grande and más pequeño(a), are used.