18 Sep, 2009 in
Uncategorized by
Julio Foppoli
COMPARATIVES – COMPARATIVOS
We use comparatives to compare people or things.
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Examples:
MIguel es más alto que Ana. Miguel is taller than Ana.
Éstos juguetes son más caros que los nuestros. These toys are more expensive than ours.
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We use superlatives to show that one person or thing is� the best, the worst, the most intelligent, etc.
Examples:
Marcelo es el más alto de su clase.
Marcelo is the tallest in his class.
Ese carro es el más caro de España.
That car is the most expensive in Spain.
There are three types of comparatives:
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SUPERIORITY
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más….. (que) = -er….than or more…than Lucía es más amable que su hermana. Lucía is kinder than her sister.
Jana y Alejandra son más bonitas que su madre. Jana and Alejandra are prettier than their mother.
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INFERIORITY
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menos… (que) less/fewer… than María es menos amable que su hermana Lucía. Lucía is less kind than her sister Lucía.
Andrea es menos bonita que Karina. Andrea is less beautiful than Karina.
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EQUALITY
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tan + adjective / adverb + como as… as tanto + noun +como as much/many as Jana es tan bonita como Alejandra. Jana is as beautiful as Alejandra.
Alberto es tan alto como su padre. Alberto is as tall as his father.
Tenemos tantos amigos como ustedes/ vosotros. We have as many friends as you.
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Exceptions
As usual, there are exceptions to any rule. Two of the most commonly used exceptions come from the words BUENO and MALO.
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Comparative |
Superlative |
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bueno |
mejor |
el mejor |
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malo |
peor |
el peor |
Remember that these words will also inflect , i.e. change, due to number, not for gender. However, in the superlative the gender will be shown by the article. Let’s look at some examples to clear this up:
Juan es mi mejor amigo. Juana es mi mejor amiga. (No change here)
Juan is my best friend. Juana is my best friend.
Camila y Andrea son mis mejores amigas (change to the plural form -es)
Camila and Andrea are my best friends.
El doctor Oct es el peor enemigo del Hombre Araña. (note the article EL)
Doctor Octopus is Spiderman´s worst enemy.
La Mujer Gata es la peor enemiga del Hombre Murciélago.
(here the article changes to the feminine LA)
Catwoman is Batman´s worst enemy.
Published on 18 Sep, 2009 in
Uncategorized by
Julio Foppoli