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Questions & Answers about O bolo é maior do que o pão.
Why is the comparative introduced with the phrase do que instead of simply que?
In Portuguese, comparisons with adjectives like maior require the preposition de combined with the appropriate definite article. In this sentence, de + o contracts to do, making do que the standard way to express "than" in comparisons.
Why do we use maior instead of a construction like mais grande?
Portuguese features irregular comparative forms for certain adjectives. Maior is the irregular comparative of grande, and it effectively means "bigger" or "greater." Using mais grande would be redundant and non-standard; the language opts for maior to express the comparison succinctly.
How is the contraction do formed in this context, and why is it necessary?
The contraction do comes from merging the preposition de with the masculine singular definite article o. This contraction is necessary because when comparing nouns like pão (which is masculine), you must follow the comparative adjective with do que to correctly denote "than" in the comparison.
What is the overall structure of the sentence O bolo é maior do que o pão?
The sentence follows a clear subject-verb-complement order. O bolo serves as the subject ("the cake"), é is the linking verb ("is"), and maior do que o pão is the predicate that provides the comparative description, stating that the cake is bigger than the bread.
Can maior be used to compare aspects other than physical size in Portuguese?
Yes, maior can refer to various types of comparisons such as age, importance, or quantity, depending on the context. In this sentence, however, it clearly describes physical size, indicating that the cake exceeds the bread in terms of dimensions.