o/a/os/as mais + Adjective (+ de)

Relative Superlative

Level 2

The Relative Superlative of Superiority singles out one item as the 'most' of its kind within a group (e.g., 'the tallest in the class').

How It Works

The relative superlative is used to compare one entity against a whole set or category. It can express either superiority ('the most') or inferiority ('the least').

1. Structure: Use the definite article + mais (more) or menos (less) + adjective. The article and adjective must agree in gender and number with the noun.

2. The Preposition 'De': To specify the group being compared, Portuguese uses de (often translated as 'in' or 'of' in English). This preposition usually contracts with the following article (e.g., do mundo, da classe).

3. Irregular Forms: Some common adjectives have unique forms for the superlative of superiority:

  • Bom (good) → o melhor (the best)
  • Mau (bad) → o pior (the worst)
  • Grande (big) → o maior (the biggest)
  • Pequeno (small) → o menor or o mais pequeno (the smallest)

Note: In European Portuguese, 'o mais pequeno' is the standard and preferred form, while 'o menor' is more common in Brazil.

4. Word Order: The noun usually sits between the article and the superlative marker (o livro mais caro), but it can be omitted if the context is already known (o mais caro).

Examples (5)

  1. Este é o livro mais interessante da biblioteca.

    This is the most interesting book in the library.

    Word by Word: This is the book more interesting of the library.

    Notice the use of 'da' (de + a) to introduce the reference group 'biblioteca'.

  2. Ela é a melhor aluna da turma.

    She is the best student in the class.

    Word by Word: She is the best student of the class.

    Uses the irregular form 'melhor' instead of 'mais boa'.

  3. O Rio Amazonas é o mais extenso do mundo.

    The Amazon River is the longest in the world.

    Word by Word: The River Amazon is the more extensive of the world.

    The noun 'rio' is elided (omitted) before 'mais' because it was mentioned at the start.

  4. Estes são os sapatos mais caros da loja.

    These are the most expensive shoes in the store.

    Word by Word: These are the shoes more expensive of the store.

    Shows plural agreement: 'os sapatos' matches with 'mais caros'.

  5. Ele é o mais alto entre os irmãos.

    He is the tallest among the brothers.

    Word by Word: He is the more tall among the brothers.

    While 'de' is standard, 'entre' (among) can be used for specific emphasis.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 'na/no' (in) instead of 'da/do' (of) for the reference group.

    O melhor restaurante na cidade.
    O melhor restaurante da cidade.

    In Portuguese, the group is introduced by the preposition 'de', not 'em'.

  • Using 'mais bom' or 'mais mau' as a superlative.

    Ele é o mais bom jogador.
    Ele é o melhor jogador.

    Adjectives like 'bom', 'mau', 'grande', and 'pequeno' must use their irregular synthetic forms (melhor, pior, maior, menor).

  • Omitting the definite article.

    Ele é mais alto da turma.
    Ele é o mais alto da turma.

    The definite article (o/a) is required to distinguish the superlative from a simple comparison.

How It Connects

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

o/a/os/as mais + Adjective (+ de)Level 2Relative Superlative

Learn This First

To learn the relative superlative, you first need to understand how to use definite articles (o/a/os/as) and ensure adjectives agree with nouns. It is also helpful to understand the comparative of superiority ('mais... do que'), as the superlative uses a similar structure to express the highest degree within a specific group.

Words in This Pattern