Comparisons & Superlatives In Spanish, inequality is expressed by using one of the following formulas: más (menos) + adjective + que más (menos) + adverb + que más (menos) + noun + que

Here are some examples: Tú eres más alto que yo. You are taller than I. Mónica habla más lentamente que Carmen. Monica speaks more slowly than Carmen. Tengo menos libros que Arsenio. I have fewer books than Arsenio.

If the comparative is followed by a number, use de rather than que. Hay menos de veinte alumnos en la clase. There are less than twenty students in the class. Él tiene más de noventa años. He is more than ninety years old. (Literally: He has more than ninety years.)

Note that when the sentence is negative, que is used even with numbers, to convey the meaning "only." Tengo más de cinco dólares. (I have more than five dollars.) but No tengo más que cinco dólares. (I only have five dollars.) Hay más de veinte estudiantes en la clase. (There are more than twenty students in the class.) but No hay más que veinte estudiantes en la clase. (There are only twenty students in the class.)

Comparisons of Equality When things being compared have equal characteristics, the comparison of equality is used. The book is as good as the movie. The boy is as tall as the girl.

To form the comparisons of equality using adjectives or adverbs, use the following formula: tan + adjective (adverb) + como El libro es tan bueno como la película. (The book is as good as the movie.) El chico es tan alto como la chica. (The boy is as tall as the girl.)

To form comparisons of equality with nouns, use the following formula: tanto(-a,-os,-as) + noun + como ◦ Juan tiene tanto dinero como María. (as much money as) Él tiene tanta paciencia como ella. (as much patience as) Tiene tantos libros como ella. (as many books as) Tiene tantas plumas como ella. (as many pens as)

When actions (not things) are being compared, and there is no adjective, use the following formula: verb + tanto + como Sus estudiantes aprenden tanto como mis estudiantes. (learn as much as) Rosario cocina tanto como Josefina. (cooks as much as) Las naranjas cuestan tanto como las manzanas. (cost as much as)

When actions (not things) are being compared, and there is an adjective, use the following formula: verb + tan + adjective (masculine form) + como Aquí se trabaja tan duro como ahí. (work as hard as) El niño juega tan poco como la niña. (plays as little as) Ellos duermen tan poco como ella. (sleep as little as)

Superlatives There are two types of superlative: relative and absolute. Relative: John is the smartest boy in the class. Absolute: John is very smart.

The relative superlative describes a noun within the context of some larger group. John is the smartest boy in the class. Mary is the youngest person in the room. Of the three, Moe is the meanest. The absolute superlative does not describe the noun in the context of a larger group. John is very smart. The book is extremely expensive. The food is indescribably tasty.

In English, the relative superlative is formed by using the word "most" or the ending "-est." John is the most intelligent boy in the class. Mary is the smartest girl in the class. In Spanish, the relative superlative construction is similar to the comparative. definite article + noun + más (menos) + adjective + de

Here are some superlative examples. Juan es el chico más inteligente de la clase. John is the smartest boy in the class. Bill Gates es el hombre más rico de los EEUU. Bill Gates is the richest man in the U.S. Just like in English, the noun can be omitted. All of the following are correct. María es la chica más delgada de la clase. Mary is the thinnest girl in the class. María es la más delgada de la clase. Mary is the thinnest in the class.

Don’t stress!!! Breathe!! We are going to practice this together!!