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What Are Comparatives and Superlatives?

Comparatives and superlatives are special forms of adjectives and adverbs. They help us talk about how things are different or similar.

• Utilizamos comparatives to compare two items, people, places, or actions. They show if one is ‘more’ or ‘less’ than the other.
• Utilizamos superlatives to describe one item that is at the ‘most’ or ‘least’ extreme within a group of three or more.

How Do We Form Comparatives?

The way we form comparatives depends on the adjective or adverb's length.

• For most one-syllable words: Añadir -er to the end. We often use than after the comparative.
  • Ejemplo: old → older (My brother is older than me.)
  • Ejemplo: fast → faster (She runs faster than him.)
• For words ending in -y (usually two syllables): Change -y a -i and add -er.
  • Ejemplo: happy → happier (I feel happier today.)
  • Ejemplo: easy → easier (This test is easier than the last one.)
• For most words with two or more syllables: Uso more before the word.
  • Ejemplo: beautiful → more beautiful (This painting is more beautiful than that one.)
  • Ejemplo: carefully → more carefully (Please drive more carefully.)
• To show 'less' of a quality: Uso less before any adjective or adverb.
  • Ejemplo: This book is less interesting than the movie.
  • Ejemplo: He speaks less quickly than his sister.
• To show equality: Uso as + adjective/adverb + as.
  • Ejemplo: She is as tall as her brother.
  • Ejemplo: He doesn't work as hard as she does.

How Do We Form Superlatives?

Superlatives show the highest or lowest degree of a quality within a group.

• For most one-syllable words: Añadir -est to the end. Always use the before the superlative.
  • Ejemplo: old → the oldest (He is the oldest student in the class.)
  • Ejemplo: fast → the fastest (This is the fastest car.)
• For words ending in -y (usually two syllables): Change -y a -i and add -est. Use the before the superlative.
  • Ejemplo: happy → the happiest (She's the happiest person I know.)
  • Ejemplo: easy → the easiest (This was the easiest question on the exam.)
• For most words with two or more syllables: Uso the most before the word.
  • Ejemplo: beautiful → the most beautiful (That is the most beautiful sunset I've ever seen.)
  • Ejemplo: carefully → the most carefully (He drives the most carefully of all my friends.)
• To show 'least' of a quality: Uso the least before any adjective or adverb.
  • Ejemplo: This is the least interesting book I've read.
  • Ejemplo: She performed the least successfully in the competition.
• We often use the present perfect with ever with superlatives to talk about experiences.
  • Ejemplo: This is the best pizza I've ever eaten.

Making Comparisons Stronger or Weaker

You can add words to make your comparisons stronger or weaker.

• To make them stronger: Use words like much, a lot, far, even before the comparative.
  • Ejemplo: This book is much better than that one.
  • Ejemplo: She drives a lot faster now.
• To make them weaker: Use words like a bit, a little, slightly before the comparative.
  • Ejemplo: I feel a bit happier today.
  • Ejemplo: He arrived slightly earlier than expected.

Irregular Comparatives and Superlatives

Forma básica	Comparative	Superlative
good / well	better	the best
bad / badly	worse	the worst
far	farther / further	the farthest / the furthest
little (amount)	less	the least
much / many	more	the most

Ejemplos

• My new phone is faster than my old one.
• She is more intelligent than her brother.
• This is the biggest city in the country.
• That was the most exciting movie I've seen all year.
• He works harder than anyone else.
• She sings more beautifully than the original artist.
• This exercise is less difficult than the previous one.
• He is not as tall as his father.
• It was the least expensive option available.
• The train arrived much later than scheduled.

Práctica

Errores habituales de los hispanohablantes

Spanish speakers sometimes make specific errors with comparatives and superlatives:

• Uso de more with short adjectives: Avoid saying "more bigger" o "more faster." The correct forms are "bigger" y "faster."
• Forgetting than in comparatives: In Spanish, 'que' is often used. In English, always use than. Don't say "She is taller me." Say "She is taller than me."
• Forgetting the in superlatives: Superlatives almost always need the before them. Don't say "He is best student." Say "He is the best student."
• Confuso good/well con better/best: Remember the irregular forms. Good (adjective) and well (adverb) become better (comparative) and best (superlative).
• Incorrect adverb comparison: For adverbs ending in -ly, utiliza more o most. Don't say "carefuller" o "fastestly." Say "more carefully" o "the most carefully." (Nota: fast is an exception, it can be both adjective and adverb, so faster y fastest are correct).

Preguntas más frecuentes

When do I use 'than'?

Se utiliza than after a comparative adjective or adverb when you are comparing two things. For example, "My house is bigger than yours."

When do I use 'the' with comparatives or superlatives?

You almost always use the before a superlative adjective or adverb. For example, "She is the tallest person in her family." You only use the with comparatives in specific structures, like "The sooner, the better."

Can I use 'more' with short adjectives like 'big' or 'tall'?

No, for most one-syllable adjectives and some two-syllable adjectives ending in -y, you add -er for the comparative. So, you say "bigger" y "taller," no "more big" o "more tall."

How do I compare adverbs?

Most adverbs ending in -ly form comparatives with more and superlatives with the most (p. ej., more carefully, the most carefully). Short adverbs like fast, hard, early follow the same rules as short adjectives (e.g., faster, hardest, earliest).

What is the difference between 'better' and 'best'?

Better is the comparative form of good (adjective) and well (adverb), used to compare two items. Best is the superlative form, used to describe one item as superior among three or more.

Lecciones relacionadas

• Comparatives, superlatives