Spanish Comparisons of Inequality

Spanish Comparisons of Inequality Not only is it possible to describe someone as happy, it is also possible to describe that happiness in various degrees - happier, happier than someone, happiest, as happy as someone. In this lesson, we learn how to express the first two of those alternatives. In English, we usually can make an adjective stronger by adding -er to the end (such as in happier, stronger and faster) or by using it with the word more (as in more considerate and more intense). In Spanish, there is no direct equivalent of -er; adjectives are made more intense by preceding them with ms. For example: Marà ­a est ms feliz. Marà ­a is happier.El cielo de Cuba es ms azul. Cubas sky is bluer.Mis padres son ms ricos. My parents are richer.Compro unos libros ms caros. I am buying some more expensive books. Usually que is used when making a comparison: Mi coche es ms grande que tu coche. My car is bigger than your car.Soy ms alto que tà º. Im taller than you.La casa es ms blanca que la nieve. The house is whiter than the snow. To indicate less rather than more, use menos rather than ms: Marà ­a est menos feliz. Marà ­a is less happy.El cielo de Chile es menos azul. Chiles sky is less blue.La casa es menos blanca que la nieve. The house is less white than the snow. Ms and menos can be used with adverbs in the same way: Corres ms rpido que yo. You run faster than I.Silvia habla menos claro que Ana. Silvia speaks less clearly than Ana. Note that in the above examples, in English it would be very common to add a form of to do at the end of the comparison, such as You run faster than I do and Silvia speaks less clearly than Ana does. However, the do or does should not be translated to Spanish. There are a few words, all very common, that have their own comparative forms: The comparative form of bueno (good) and its forms (buena, buenos and buenas) is mejor or mejores, translated as better. Example: Eres mejor hombre que yo. You are a better man than I.The comparative form of bien (well) is also mejor, again translated as better. Example: Ella estudia mejor que tà º. She studies better than you.The comparative form of malo (bad) and its forms (mala, malos and malas) is peor or peores, translated as worse. Example: Los remedios son peores que la enfermedad. The cures are worse than the illness.The comparative form of mal (badly) is also peor, again translated as worse. Example: Se siente peor que yo. He feels worse than I do. Additionally, although ms pequeà ±o and ms grande are often used for smaller and bigger, respectively, menor and mayor are sometimes used. Mayor also is used to mean older when referring to people. Note: Do not confuse comparisons of adjectives or adverbs with more than and less than in the following examples. Note that ms de and menos de are used when referring to numbers. Tengo ms de 30 pesos. I have more than 30 pesos.Mi hijo tiene menos de 20 aà ±os. My son is less than 20 years old.