mellor / peor / maior / menor

Irregular Comparatives

Level 2

Four common adjectives have special comparatives: bo → mellor (better), malo → peor (worse), grande → maior (bigger, older) and pequeno → menor (smaller, younger).

How It Works

The four forms:

  • bo → mellor
  • malo → peor
  • grande → maior (also meirande)
  • pequeno → menor

Comparing: use them with ca or que like other comparisons: Este viño é mellor ca ese. See comparing with máis and menos.

Age: maior and menor are the usual words for older and younger in a family: a miña irmá maior (my older sister), o meu irmán menor (my younger brother). For size, máis grande and máis pequeno are also common and correct.

Gender and number: they have one form for masculine and feminine, like one-form adjectives: unha idea peor. Because they end in -r, the plural adds -es (the -es plural): mellores, peores, maiores, menores.

Adverbs: ben → mellor, mal → peor: Hoxe estou mellor (I feel better today).

Superlatives: add the article: o mellor, a peor. See superlatives.

Examples (6)

  1. Este viño é mellor ca ese.

    This wine is better than that one.

    Word by Word: This wine is better than that.

  2. Hoxe estou peor ca onte.

    Today I feel worse than yesterday.

    Word by Word: Today am-I worse than yesterday.

    Peor works as the comparative of mal here.

  3. A miña irmá maior vive en Ourense.

    My older sister lives in Ourense.

    Word by Word: The my sister older lives in Ourense.

    Maior means older when talking about family.

  4. O meu irmán menor ten dez anos.

    My younger brother is ten years old.

    Word by Word: The my brother younger has ten years.

  5. Canta mellor ca min.

    She sings better than me.

    Word by Word: Sings better than me.

    Mellor as an adverb: the comparative of ben.

  6. Os problemas son maiores do que pensabamos.

    The problems are bigger than we thought.

    Word by Word: The problems are bigger of-the that thought-we.

    The plural adds -es, and do que introduces a clause.

Common Mistakes

  • Adding máis before a form that is already comparative.

    Este é máis mellor.
    Este é mellor.

    Mellor already means more good, so máis is not added.

  • Making a feminine form of peor or mellor.

    Tivemos unha idea peora.
    Tivemos unha idea peor.

    These comparatives have one form for both genders.

  • Forming the plural with -s only.

    Son os mellors.
    Son os mellores.

    Words ending in -r add -es in the plural: mellores.

How It Connects

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mellor / peor / maior / menorLevel 2Irregular Comparatives

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One-word comparatives express meanings otherwise built with máis or menos.

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Words in This Pattern

peormaiormenor