melhor/pior/maior/menor

Irregular Comparatives

Level 2

Portuguese uses special one-word forms for common comparisons: melhor (better), pior (worse), maior (bigger), and menor (smaller). These replace the regular 'mais + adjective' pattern.

How It Works

In Portuguese, four common adjectives have irregular comparative forms of superiority:

  • Bom (good) → Melhor (better)
  • Mau/Ruim (bad) → Pior (worse)
  • Grande (big) → Maior (bigger/greater)
  • Pequeno (small) → Menor (smaller)

1. Adjectives vs. Adverbs:
Note that melhor and pior also serve as the comparative forms for the adverbs bem (well) and mal (badly). For example: 'Ela fala português melhor que eu' (She speaks Portuguese better than I).

2. The Comparison Particle:
When making a comparison, you can use either do que or simply que. Both are grammatically correct and interchangeable (e.g., 'melhor que' = 'melhor do que').

3. Agreement:
These words are invariable in gender but must agree in number with the noun they modify. Add -es for the plural: melhores, piores, maiores, menores.

4. Usage Nuances:

  • Age: Maior and menor are frequently used to mean 'older' and 'younger'.
  • Regional Variation: In European Portuguese, mais pequeno is common for physical size, while menor is more formal. In Brazil, menor is standard for all contexts.

5. The 'Mais Grande' Exception:
You must use the regular forms (mais bom, mais grande) only when comparing two qualities of the same object: 'Este sofá é mais grande do que bonito' (This sofa is more big than [it is] pretty).

Examples (6)

  1. Este café é melhor do que o outro.

    This coffee is better than the other one.

    Word by Word: This coffee is better than of the other.

    'Melhor' is the irregular comparative of 'bom' (good).

  2. As notícias são piores do que esperávamos.

    The news is worse than we expected.

    Word by Word: The news are worse than of what we expected.

    'Piores' is the plural form of 'pior', agreeing with the plural noun 'notícias'.

  3. O meu irmão é maior do que eu.

    My brother is older/taller than me.

    Word by Word: The my brother is bigger than than I.

    'Maior' can refer to both physical size (taller) and age (older).

  4. Esta cidade é menor que a minha.

    This city is smaller than mine.

    Word by Word: This city is smaller than the mine.

    'Menor' is the irregular comparative of 'pequeno' (small). Note that 'que' and 'do que' are both correct.

  5. Ele canta melhor que eu.

    He sings better than I do.

    Word by Word: He sings better than I.

    Here, 'melhor' acts as the comparative of the adverb 'bem' (well).

  6. Eles são os melhores alunos da turma.

    They are the best students in the class.

    Word by Word: They are the best students of the class.

    When used with a definite article, these forms also function as superlatives (the best).

Common Mistakes

  • Using 'mais melhor' or 'mais pior'.

    Este livro é mais melhor.
    Este livro é melhor.

    This is a redundancy (pleonasm). 'Melhor' already means 'more good', so adding 'mais' is like saying 'more better' in English.

  • Forgetting to pluralize the comparative.

    Estes carros são maior.
    Estes carros são maiores.

    Comparatives must agree in number with the noun they modify. Since 'carros' is plural, 'maior' must become 'maiores'.

  • Using 'mais grande' to compare two different objects.

    Minha casa é mais grande que a sua.
    Minha casa é maior que a sua.

    When comparing the size of two different things, you must use the synthetic form 'maior'.

How It Connects

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

melhor/pior/maior/menorLevel 2Irregular Comparatives

Learn This First

To understand irregular comparatives like 'melhor' (better) and 'maior' (bigger), learners first need to know the basic adjectives they stem from (bom, mau, grande, pequeno) and the standard 'mais + adjective' comparison structure which these irregulars replace.

Words in This Pattern

maiormenor