Comparisons Lección 5 Segunda Parte

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. Carlos se declaró tan suavemente como un poeta. – Carlos asked her out as smoothly as a poet.

tanto(-a,-os,-as) + noun + como Juan tiene tanto dinero como María. Juan has as much money as María. Tiene tantos libros como ella. You have as many books as she. Tiene tantas plumas como ella. He has as many pens as she. Mi padre tiene tanta paciencia como tu padre. My father has as much patience as your father. Mi tía da tantos consejos como mi madre. My aunt gives as much advice as my mother.

Choose the form of tanto to agree with the noun it modifies. tanto dinero tanta paciencia tantos libros tantas plumas

When actions (not things) are being compared, and there is no adjective, use the following formula: verb + tanto + como + subject of second verb (implied) (as much as) Sus estudiantes aprenden tanto como mis estudiantes. Rosario cocina tanto como Josefina. Las naranjas cuestan tanto como las manzanas. Mis amigos hispanos se dan la mano tanto como nosotros.

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

Comparisons of inequality If two things are not equal, they are unequal. – We are not the same height. – You are taller than I. – The two items do not cost the same. – The camera is more expensive than the television.

In Spanish, inequality is expressed by using one of the following formulae: más (menos) + adjective + que más (menos) + adverb + que más (menos) + noun + que verb + más(menos) + que

Examples Yo sufro más que tú. – I suffer more than you. México es más grande que el Perú. – Mexico is biger than Perú. 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.

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.

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

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. Luisito es el más grosero de la clase. – Luisito is the most vulgar one in the class.

The absolute superlative for adjectives has three possible forms. muy + adjective sumamente + adjective adjective + ísimo (-a, -os, -as)

The following translations are somewhat arbitrary. Each superlative statement is a little stronger than the one that precedes it. muy guapo – very handsome sumamente guapo – extremely handsome guapísimo – indescribably handsome

Note that in some adjectives there are spelling changes before adding the suffix. c → qu franco→ franquísimo g → gu largo → larguísimo z→ c feliz→ felicísimo REMINDER: Adjectives in comparative and superlative degree still must agree with the noun or pronoun the modify.

Some Spanish adjectives have both regular and irregular comparative forms. adjectiveRegular formIrregular form bueno/amás bueno/amejorbetter, best grandemás grandemayorbigger/biggest jovenmás jovenmenoryounger/youngest malo/amás malo/apeorworse/worst pequeño/amás pequeño/amenorsmaller/smallest viejo/amás viejo/amayorolder/olsest

Bueno, malo viejo have irregular forms when used in comparisons of INEQUALITY. Esa computadora es peor que ésta. Mi prima es menor que yo.

They are also irregular when used in the superlative degree: buenoEel/la mejor de los/las mejores de the best of maloel/la pero que los/las perores de the worst of viejoel/la mayor de los/las mayores de the oldest of jovenel/la menor de los/las menores de the youngest of Rosa es la mayor de las hermanas. Yo soy el menor de mi familia.

Mayor and menor are used to compare only in terms of age. For differences in sizes, use más grande, más pequeño. La mesa es más pequeña que el escritorio. Y esa mesa allí es la más grande de todas.

The following adverbs are irregular when used in comparisons of inequality. bienmejor quebetter than malpero queworse than Rita escribe mejor que Jorge. Hugo cocina pero que yo.