mens ... que

Less than

Level 2

Mens ... que compares two things: less than.

How It Works

Mens is the opposite of mai: it means less. The pattern is the same, and que means than.

OccitanEnglish
Maria es mens granda que Zofia.Maria is less tall than Zofia.
Aqueste libre es mens car que l'autre.This book is less expensive than the other one.
Joan ven mens sovent que Maria.Joan comes less often than Maria.

The adjective agrees with the subject: granda goes with Maria. English often has one word for it, such as shorter or cheaper, and Occitan uses mens plus the adjective. Use mens de for an amount of something: mens d'aiga. Write mens, not the French moins.

Examples (3)

  1. Maria es mens granda que Zofia.

    Maria is less tall than Zofia.

    Granda agrees with Maria.

  2. Aqueste libre es mens car que l'autre.

    This book is less expensive than the other one.

    Mens compares the price adjective.

  3. Joan ven mens sovent que Maria.

    Joan comes less often than Maria.

    Mens can compare an adverb.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the French word.

    Maria es moins granda que Zofia.
    Maria es mens granda que Zofia.

    Occitan says mens. Moins is French.

How It Connects

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

mens ... queLevel 2Less than

Learn This First

Mens ... que works like mai ... que, so mai ... que comes first.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

mensque