When dissecting a blind date, you might need to weigh two traits against each other—like deciding if someone was "more quiet than shy."
Comparing Traits: Dropping the "do"
Normally, when comparing two different subjects, Portuguese uses mais... do que.
However, when comparing two distinct qualities of the same subject, you drop the do. The structure is simply mais [adjective 1] que [adjective 2]:
| My companion is more quiet than shy. | O meu companheiro é mais calado que tímido. |
| I thought that he was more extroverted than arrogant. | Pensava que ele era mais extrovertido que arrogante. |
This works seamlessly across different tenses and verbs like ser, estar, or parecer:
| The girl was more romantic than affectionate during the dinner. | A rapariga foi mais romântica que afetuosa durante o jantar. |
| She is very nervous, but seems more optimistic than charming. | Ela está nervosíssima, mas parece mais otimista que encantadora. |
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