ca + o = có

Contractions of Ca with the Article

Level 4

In comparisons, ca + article can join: có, cá, cós, cás. É máis alto có pai or máis alto ca o pai (taller than his father).

How It Works

Two correct spellings

When comparative ca meets the definite article, you can write it in two ways:

  • ca + o = có or ca o
  • ca + a = cá or ca a
  • ca + os = cós or ca os
  • ca + as = cás or ca as

É máis alto có pai and É máis alto ca o pai are both correct and sound the same.

The accent is required. The accent tells the joined forms apart from other words: có (than the) versus co (with the, from con + o); cá versus the conjunction ca. Compare Dálle co martelo (hit it with the hammer) and É máis grande có martelo (it is bigger than the hammer). See the diacritic accent.

When it never joins

  • With que. If you use que instead of ca, nothing joins: máis alto que o pai.
  • With the preposition a. Keep ca a apart: Quérete máis a ti ca a min. The same goes for ca ao.
  • Before a pronoun there is no article to join: máis alto ca min, máis vello ca el.

Only ca joins. The coma of tan ... coma stays separate: tan alto coma o pai.

Examples (6)

  1. É máis alto có pai.

    He is taller than his father.

    Ca + o joins as có, with an accent.

  2. A filla é máis alta cá nai.

    The daughter is taller than her mother.

    Ca + a joins as cá.

  3. Os teus zapatos son máis caros cós meus.

    Your shoes are more expensive than mine.

    Ca + os joins as cós.

  4. As mazás de aquí son mellores cás de fóra.

    The apples from here are better than the ones from elsewhere.

    Ca + as joins as cás.

  5. Esta casa é máis grande ca a nosa.

    This house is bigger than ours.

    Writing ca a separately is also correct.

  6. Quérete máis a ti ca a min.

    She loves you more than she loves me.

    Ca never joins the preposition a.

Common Mistakes

  • Writing the joined form without an accent.

    É máis alto co pai.
    É máis alto có pai.

    Co means "with the"; the comparative form needs the accent: có.

  • Joining ca with the preposition a.

    Quérete máis a ti cá min.
    Quérete máis a ti ca a min.

    Ca only joins the article, never the preposition a.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

ca + o = cóLevel 4Contractions of Ca with the Article

Learn This First

Comparative ca can combine with an article in accented forms such as có and cá.

Words in This Pattern

cócóscácásca