# 34. Comparatives & Superlatives

> Source: [A Complete Guide To Every Fundamental In Spanish (The Conclusion)](https://youtube.com/watch?v=YHDZSHCt1DE&t=9252s)

Spanish has no "-er / -est" endings the way English does. Instead, it uses **más** ("more / most") and **menos** ("less / least") placed before the adjective. The superlative just adds a definite article (el/la/los/las) before *más* or *menos*.

## Key Rules
- **Comparative**: *más / menos + adjective* (+ *que* for "than"). Example: *Esta clase es más pequeña* — this class is smaller.
- **Superlative**: *el/la/los/las + (noun) + más / menos + adjective*. Example: *Esta clase es la más pequeña* — this class is the smallest.
- Adjective agrees in gender and number with the noun.
- *Más que / menos que* = more than / less than. Before a number, use *más de / menos de*.
- *Tan + adj + como* = "as … as" (equality).
- Four common irregular comparatives: **bueno → mejor**, **malo → peor**, **joven → menor**, **viejo → mayor**.

## Conjugation / Pattern Tables

### Regular pattern
| Form | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|
| Positive | Esta clase es pequeña. | This class is small. |
| Comparative (more) | Esta clase es más pequeña. | This class is smaller. |
| Comparative (less) | Esta clase es menos pequeña. | This class is less small. |
| Superlative (most) | Esta clase es la más pequeña. | This class is the smallest. |
| Superlative (least) | Esta clase es la menos pequeña. | This class is the least small. |

### Irregular comparatives & superlatives
| Adjective | Comparative | Superlative |
|---|---|---|
| bueno/a (good) | mejor | el/la mejor |
| malo/a (bad) | peor | el/la peor |
| joven (young) | menor | el/la menor |
| viejo/a (old) | mayor | el/la mayor |

## Examples
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Esta camisa es cara. | This shirt is expensive. |
| Esta camisa es más cara. | This shirt is more expensive. |
| Esta camisa es la más cara. | This shirt is the most expensive. |
| Esta camisa es menos cara que la otra. | This shirt is less expensive than the other one. |
| Esta lección es buena. | This lesson is good. |
| Esta lección es mejor. | This lesson is better. |
| Esta lección es la mejor. | This lesson is the best. |
| Este libro es peor que aquel. | This book is worse than that one. |
| El niño es el menor. | The child is the youngest. |
| Ella es la mayor de la familia. | She is the oldest in the family. |
| Tengo más de cinco libros. | I have more than five books. |
| Ana es tan alta como María. | Ana is as tall as María. |

## Notes & Gotchas
- For comparisons of nouns: *más libros que*, *menos tiempo que*.
- Use *de* (not *que*) before numbers: *más de cinco*, *menos de veinte*.
- *Mayor* and *menor* are used mostly for **age** (older/younger). For physical size use *más grande / más pequeño*.
- *Mejor* and *peor* don't have separate masculine/feminine forms in the singular (only plural: mejores, peores).
- The "absolute superlative" (-ísimo) means "extremely": *carísimo* = extremely expensive (not covered in this video).