Spanish: An Essential Grammar

Mayor can be used like más grande to indicate physical size. However, it

normally means ‘greater’, expressing a higher degree or intensity, or simply

importance:

El índice de paro es mayor Unemployment is higher there

allí que aquí. than here.

Estas pastillas tienen mayor These pills have a greater effect.

efecto.

la Calle Mayor the High Street

In addition to referring to age, menor is used for abstract comparisons. It

is rarelyused as an alternative to más pequeñoto refer to physical size:

Ahora viene con menor frecuencia.

Now she comes less often.

Se vende en cantidades cada vez menores.

It sells in smaller and smaller quantities.

Comparisons involving nouns

Comparisons of inequality involving nouns

For comparisons of inequality expressing ‘more than’ and ‘less/fewer than’,

the pattern is the same as for adjectives, más/menos+ noun + que:

Pedro comió más/menos patatas que tú.

Pedro ate more/fewer potatoes than you.

Hace más calor en Sevilla que en Madrid.

It’s hotter in Seville than in Madrid.

When the word muchois used in comparisons involving nouns it agrees

with its associated noun:

Comió muchas más patatas que tú.

He ate many more potatoes than you.

mucha menos velocidad much less speed

Comparisons of equality involving nouns

With comparisons of equality, expressing ‘as much/many... as’, the

pattern is tanto/a/os/as... como:

26.2.2

26.2.1

26.2

1111

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

1011

1

12111

3 4 5 6 7 8 9

20111

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

30111

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

40

41111

26

Comparative
and
superlative
constructions

270