To compare two things in Spanish, you use más (more) or menos (less) along with the adjective and que (than). The structure is straightforward and works with almost any adjective.
Basic Pattern
| Structure | Meaning |
|---|---|
| más + adjective + que | more _ than |
| menos + adjective + que | less _ than |
María es más alta que Pedro.
María is taller than Pedro.
El libro es menos interesante que la película.
The book is less interesting than the movie.
Notice that the adjective still agrees with the thing being described: alta because María is feminine, interesante which is invariable.
The Adjective Agrees with the Subject
The comparative structure doesn't change this rule. Make sure the adjective matches the first thing being compared.
Estos zapatos son más caros que aquellos.
These shoes are more expensive than those.
Las casas nuevas son menos ruidosas que las antiguas.
The new houses are less noisy than the old ones.
Comparisons of Equality: Tan...Como
For "as _ as", use tan + adjective + como.
La película es tan buena como el libro.
The movie is as good as the book.
| Structure | Meaning |
|---|---|
| más + adj + que | more than (greater) |
| menos + adj + que | less than |
| tan + adj + como | as _ as (equal) |
Comparing with Numbers: De, Not Que
When the comparison involves a specific number or quantity, use de instead of que.
Tengo más de diez libros.
I have more than ten books.
Using más que before a number would actually mean something different (see below).
No Más Que = Only
A special idiom: no... más que means only, not more than.
No tengo más que diez pesos.
I only have ten pesos.
No hablo más que español.
I only speak Spanish.
Compare with:
Tengo más de diez pesos.
I have more than ten pesos.
The difference is important: no...más que = only; más de = more than.
Irregular Comparatives
Some adjectives don't use más or menos at all. They have their own comparative forms:
- bueno → mejor (better)
- malo → peor (worse)
- grande → mayor (older / greater)
- pequeño → menor (younger / lesser)
Este café es mejor que el otro.
This coffee is better than the other one.
Mi hermana es mayor que yo.
My sister is older than me.
See Irregular Comparatives for the full treatment.
Que with Pronouns
After que, use subject pronouns in comparisons.
Ella estudia más que yo.
She studies more than I do.
Eres más alto que él.
You are taller than him.
In English we often say "than him" or "than me," but in formal Spanish you'll hear que yo, que él, que ella.
Longer Examples
Este carro es más económico que el que teníamos antes.
This car is more economical than the one we had before.
El examen fue menos difícil de lo que esperaba.
The exam was less hard than I expected.
Note the slightly more advanced construction menos difícil de lo que — literally "less hard than that which." You'll encounter this when comparing against a clause rather than a simple noun.
Quick Summary
| What you want to say | Structure |
|---|---|
| More _ than | más + adj + que |
| Less _ than | menos + adj + que |
| As _ as | tan + adj + como |
| More than (+ number) | más de + number |
| Only | no... más que + number |
| Better/worse/older/younger | mejor / peor / mayor / menor |
Related Topics
- Irregular Comparatives (Mejor, Peor, Mayor, Menor)A2 — Four adjectives have irregular comparative forms in Spanish
- Superlatives (El más..., El menos...)A2 — Expressing 'the most' or 'the least' with the definite article
- Comparisons of InequalityA2 — Learn how to compare things in Spanish using más/menos... que and the special de form before numbers.