Learn Spanish (Latin America): Mientras más abono usamos, mayor es la cantidad de nutrientes. - The more fertilizer we use, the greater the amount of nutrients is.

Mientras más abono usamos, mayor es la cantidad de nutrientes.

The more fertilizer we use, the greater the amount of nutrients is.

Breakdown of Mientras más abono usamos, mayor es la cantidad de nutrientes.

Questions & Answers about Mientras más abono usamos, mayor es la cantidad de nutrientes.

How do we say "the more... the greater..." in this sentence without using a literal word for "the"?

In Spanish, proportional comparisons like "the more X, the more Y" don't use a direct translation of the English word "the." Instead, you use phrases like mientras más (literally "while more") or cuanto más. In this sentence, the structure pairs mientras más with mayor to mean "the more... the greater...".

Why do we use mayor instead of más grande for "greater"?

While más grande is typically used to talk about physical size (like a bigger box or house), mayor is often used for abstract concepts, intensity, importance, and amounts. Because we are talking about a "greater amount" (mayor cantidad), mayor is the most natural choice here.

Why is the verb usamos in the indicative mood instead of the subjunctive?

We use the normal indicative mood (usamos) for these comparisons when stating a general fact, a routine, or a known reality. If you were making a hypothetical prediction about an unknown future event (like "The more fertilizer we might use next year..."), you would switch to the subjunctive (usemos).

Why is the word order mayor es la cantidad instead of la cantidad es mayor?