máis do que + Clause
Comparing with a Clause: Do Que
When you compare with a whole clause, use do que instead of ca: É máis difícil do que pensaba (It is more difficult than I thought).
How It Works
The contrast.
- noun or pronoun → ca or que: Traballa máis ca min (She works more than me).
- clause with a verb → do que: Traballa máis do que debería (She works more than she should).
Typical verbs after do que. pensar, crer, parecer, dicir, esperar: O exame foi mellor do que esperabamos, É máis novo do que parece.
Irregular comparatives work the same way: Está mellor do que cres (She is better than you think). See irregular comparatives.
Comparing an amount of a noun. When the comparison is about how much of something, the article in do que can agree with that noun: Trouxo máis cadeiras das que necesitabamos (He brought more chairs than we needed). See comparing quantities.
Numbers take de. Before a number, use de: máis de vinte persoas, menos de cen euros.
Galician form. Do is the contraction of de + o. See contractions of de. Spanish de lo que is do que in Galician.
Examples (6)
- É máis difícil do que pensaba.
It is more difficult than I thought.
Word by Word: Is more difficult of-the that thought-I.
- Custou menos do que dixeron.
It cost less than they said.
Word by Word: Cost less of-the that said-they.
- O exame foi mellor do que esperabamos.
The exam went better than we expected.
Word by Word: The exam was better of-the that expected-we.
- É máis novo do que parece.
He is younger than he looks.
Word by Word: Is more young of-the that seems.
- Durmín menos do que necesito.
I slept less than I need.
Word by Word: Slept-I less of-the that need-I.
- Trouxo máis cadeiras das que necesitabamos.
He brought more chairs than we needed.
Word by Word: Brought-he more chairs of-the that needed-we.
Das agrees with cadeiras, the thing being counted.
Common Mistakes
Using ca before a clause.
É máis caro ca pensaba.É máis caro do que pensaba.Ca and que introduce a simple noun or pronoun. When a clause with its own verb follows, use do que.
Using the Spanish form de lo que.
Está máis lonxe de lo que parece.Está máis lonxe do que parece.Galician has no lo here: de + o contracts to do.
How It Connects
Learn This First
A finite clause as the second comparison term uses do que.
Related Patterns
- tanto + Noun + comaComparing Quantities
Comparing amounts of a noun.
Level 3 - mellor / peor / maior / menorIrregular Comparatives
Irregular comparatives also take do que before a clause.
Level 2 - de + o = doContractions of De with the Article
Do is the contraction of de + o.
Level 1 - o importante / o queNeuter O Before Adjectives and Que
The o que inside do que is the neuter o que.
Level 3
Words in This Pattern
Practice máis do que + Clause in Bubblegum
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