mai de, mens de

More of and Less of

Level 3

Mai de means more of and mens de means less of: Vòli mai de pan.

How It Works

MeaningExample
more of + nounVòli mai de pan.
less of + nounAi mens d'aiga.
more than + numberI a mai de vint personas aicí.
fewer than + numberDormissi mens de sièis oras.

After mai de or mens de, the noun takes no article: mai de pan. Before a vowel, de elides: mens d'aiga.

To compare with another person, add que: Marta a mai de libres que Joan. With an adjective or a verb, use mai ... que without de: Maria es mai granda que Joan.

Examples (5)

  1. Vòli mai de pan.

    I want more bread.

    Mai de comes before the noun pan.

  2. Ai mens d'aiga.

    I have less water.

    De becomes d' before aiga.

  3. I a mai de vint personas aicí.

    There are more than twenty people here.

    Mai de also works with a number.

  4. Dormissi mens de sièis oras.

    I sleep less than six hours.

    Mens de goes before a number.

  5. Marta a mai de libres que Joan.

    Marta has more books than Joan.

    Que adds the person you compare with.

Common Mistakes

  • Leaving out de before the noun, as English does.

    Vòli mai pan.
    Vòli mai de pan.

    Before a noun, Occitan puts de after mai and mens: mai de pan.

How It Connects

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mai de, mens deLevel 3More of and Less of

Learn This First

Mai de and mens de join comparison to quantities, so quantities with de and mai ... que come first.

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Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

maimensde