más + Adjective + que
Comparatives with Más
Use más + [adjective] + que to say something is 'more [adjective] than' another.
How It Works
In Spanish, when you want to say that one thing is 'more' something than another, you use a simple and consistent formula:
[Noun 1] + [verb] + más + [adjective] + que + [Noun 2]
Let's break it down:
- más means 'more'.
- que means 'than'.
- The adjective describes the quality you are comparing.
For example: 'El coche es más rápido que la bicicleta.' (The car is faster than the bicycle).
A very important rule is adjective agreement. The adjective must match the gender and number of the first noun.
- La casa es más grande que el apartamento. (grande has the same singular form for masculine and feminine nouns)
- Las manzanas son más rojas que las peras. (rojas is feminine and plural to match manzanas)
The verb used is often a form of ser, as comparisons often deal with characteristics.
Más is invariable, while the adjective agrees. Comparisons can also use estar for states: Hoy estoy más cansada que ayer. Neither ser nor estar is selected simply by how long a property lasts.
Other Comparative Forms
Mejor, peor, mayor and menor are common comparatives; do not add más to mejor for “better.” However, más bueno and más malo are possible in appropriate meanings and contexts. Más bueno is common for kindness or taste. Más grande is a normal way to compare size.
Que and De
Use que for the comparison shown here. Other structures use de: más caro de lo que pensaba (more expensive than I thought), más de diez euros (more than ten euros). Do not turn this pattern into a rule that every English “than” is que.
Examples (4)
- El elefante es más grande que el ratón.
The elephant is bigger than the mouse.
Word by Word: The elephant is more big than the mouse.
- Mi casa es más moderna que tu casa.
My house is more modern than your house.
Word by Word: My house is more modern than your house.
- Los libros son más interesantes que las películas.
Books are more interesting than movies.
Word by Word: The books are more interesting than the movies.
- Ana es más alta que su hermano.
Ana is taller than her brother.
Word by Word: Ana is more tall than her brother.
Common Mistakes
Using 'than' instead of 'que'
El sol es más brillante than la luna.El sol es más brillante que la luna.In this comparison between the sun and moon, use Spanish que rather than English than. Other comparative constructions can use de, as in más caro de lo que pensaba.
Forgetting to make the adjective agree in gender/number
Las flores son más bonito que los árboles.Las flores son más bonitas que los árboles.The adjective must agree with the noun it describes. Since 'flores' is feminine and plural, the adjective must be 'bonitas'.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To form comparisons using 'más + adjective + que', you first need to understand how adjectives agree with nouns. Since these comparisons usually describe characteristics, familiarity with 'ser' is essential. Finally, understanding basic linking words provides the grammatical context for using 'que' to connect the two things being compared.
- ser + AdjectiveSer for Characteristics
Comparisons of quality are most frequently used with the verb 'ser' to describe inherent characteristics of people or objects.
Level 1 - y/o/pero/porqueBasic Conjunctions
Understanding basic conjunctions helps learners grasp how 'que' functions as a linking word in the comparative structure.
Foundations
Related Patterns
- menos + Adjective + queComparatives with Menos
This is the direct opposite of 'más...que'. It's used to say something is 'less [adjective] than' another.
Level 1 - tan + Adjective + comoEquality Comparisons
While 'más...que' shows that two things are different, 'tan...como' is used to show they are the same in a certain quality, meaning 'as [adjective] as'.
Level 1 - Adjective Agreement
This is a fundamental concept for using comparatives correctly. The adjective in the 'más...que' structure must always agree in gender and number with the first noun.
Foundations - mejor/peor/mayor/menorIrregular Comparatives
Mejor, peor, mayor and menor are common comparative forms, but más bueno and más malo are also possible with suitable meanings. Más grande is normal for size; choose by the adjective’s meaning and construction.
Level 1 - soy/eres/es/somos/sonSer Present Tense
The verb 'ser' is most commonly used with this comparative structure because comparisons often describe inherent characteristics. Knowing its basic forms is essential.
Foundations
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice más + Adjective + que in Bubblegum
Poppy, your AI tutor, writes Spanish lessons at your level. Tap any grammar point in a lesson to see its full explanation.
