Learn Hardcore Spanish (Latin America): El ratón inalámbrico también es nuevo y funciona mejor que el anterior. - The wireless mouse is also new and works better than the previous one.

In Spanish the default order for descriptive adjectives is after the noun: ratón inalámbrico. Putting inalámbrico first (inalámbrico ratón) would sound odd or poetic. You can sometimes pre-modify (un hermoso día), but technical descriptors like inalámbrico follow the noun.

What role does también play, and why is it placed before es nuevo?

también means “also” or “too.” Here it adds that the wireless mouse is new in addition to something else (e.g. the keyboard). Adverbs like también commonly go:
1) before the main verb (también es)
2) before an adjective or another adverb.
So El ratón inalámbrico también es nuevo is the most natural placement.

Why do we use ser (es nuevo) instead of estar (está nuevo)?

Spanish uses ser for inherent or defining qualities (newness counts as a characteristic of the object). estar describes temporary states or locations. Since being “new” is seen as a property, you say es nuevo.

Why do we say funciona instead of verbs like trabaja or opera?

funcionar is the standard verb to express “to work/function” for machines or devices.
trabajar is normally “to work” for people or animals.
operar exists but is more formal or medical.
Hence everyday speech uses funciona.

How is the comparative mejor que formed? Why not más bueno que?

Spanish has irregular comparatives:
• mejor = “better” (not más bueno)
• peor = “worse”
• mayor = “older/greater”
• menor = “younger/less”
You pair them with que for “than,” so funciona mejor que = “it works better than.”

What does el anterior refer to, and why don’t we repeat ratón?

el anterior means “the previous one.” Spanish allows you to omit the noun when context is clear. Instead of saying el ratón anterior, you simply say el anterior once ratón has been mentioned.

Does anterior change to agree with gender or number, and why does it look the same here?

Adjectives agree with the noun they modify. Ratón is masculine singular, so anterior is in its masculine singular form. In this case the masculine and feminine singular of anterior are identical; only plurals change to anteriores.

Could you move también to the end (“El ratón inalámbrico es nuevo también”), and would it change the meaning?

Yes, you can say El ratón inalámbrico es nuevo también. The meaning stays basically the same (“the mouse is new too”), though placing también at the front feels slightly more emphatic in linking items, whereas at the end it’s a milder “also.” Both are correct.

Are anterior and previo interchangeable when talking about the “previous mouse”?

Often yes—anterior and previo can both mean “previous.”
• anterior is more common in everyday Latin American Spanish.
• previo sounds a bit more formal.
You could say el ratón previo, but el anterior is more natural.