A1 · Débutant Chapitre 8

Making Comparisons

4 Règles totales
41 exemples
5 min
Règles dans ce chapitre Pratique rapide

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Master the art of comparing things in Portuguese using natural, irregular forms instead of clunky phrases.

  • Replace 'mais bom' with the native 'melhor'.
  • Differentiate between physical size and age using 'maior' and 'menor'.
  • Express preferences and qualities confidently in everyday conversations.
Compare like a pro, not like a dictionary.

Ce que tu vas apprendre

Ready to take your Portuguese descriptions to the next level? In this super practical chapter, we're diving into how to compare things like a pro – but with a fun twist! You know how in English, you don't say 'more good,' you say 'better'? Well, Portuguese has its own special words for 'better,' 'worse,' 'bigger,' and 'smaller,' and they don't always follow the simple 'mais' pattern. We'll tackle four essential irregular forms: you'll master melhor (better), pior (worse), maior (bigger), and menor (smaller or younger). Forget 'mais bom' – it's always melhor! You'll also learn why you say maior instead of 'mais grande' for bigger, and how menor is your go-to for smaller or younger, especially in Brazil. Don't worry, these aren't tricky; they're just different, and once you get them, they'll sound totally natural. Why does this matter? Imagine you're at a Lisbon market, comparing prices or trying on clothes – 'This one is melhor!' or 'Do you have this menor?' Or maybe you're describing two friends: 'She's maior than him' (taller). By the end of these lessons, you won't just know the words; you'll intuitively use the correct irregular comparisons. You'll be able to confidently express preferences, describe differences, and sound much more like a native speaker. It's a small step that makes a *huge* difference in your conversations!

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

  1. 1
    By the end you will be able to: Correctly identify and use 'melhor', 'pior', 'maior', and 'menor' in simple sentences.

Guide du chapitre

Overview

Welcome to an exciting step in your A1 Portuguese grammar journey! Ready to elevate your descriptions and sound more like a native speaker? This chapter is all about making comparisons in Portuguese, a super practical skill that you'll use every single day.
While you might be tempted to always use mais (more) to compare things, just like in English we don't say more good, Portuguese has its own special, irregular forms for common comparisons. Mastering these isn't just about memorizing words; it's about unlocking a more natural and fluent way to express yourself, boosting your CEFR A1 Portuguese proficiency significantly. We'll dive into four essential irregular comparative adjectives: melhor (better), pior (worse), maior (bigger, taller, older), and menor (smaller, younger).
Forget trying to say mais bom – it’s always melhor! You'll discover why maior is your go-to for bigger instead of mais grande, and how menor covers both smaller and younger, especially in Brazilian Portuguese. By the end of this guide, you’ll confidently compare prices at a market, describe family members, and express preferences with ease, making a huge difference in your Portuguese conversations!

How This Grammar Works

In Portuguese, when you want to say something is better, worse, bigger, or smaller, you usually don't just add mais (more) to the adjective. Instead, you use special, irregular forms. This is a key part of Portuguese grammar A1 that helps you sound truly authentic.
Let's break down these essential irregular comparatives:
  1. 1Melhor (Better): This word is used instead of mais bom (more good).
* *Este café é melhor.* (This coffee is better.)
* *Ela canta melhor que ele.* (She sings better than him.)
  1. 1Pior (Worse): This word replaces mais mau (more bad).
* *Aquele filme é pior que este.* (That movie is worse than this one.)
* *Hoje o tempo está pior.* (Today the weather is worse.)
  1. 1Maior (Bigger, Taller, Older): You use maior instead of mais grande (more big). This adjective is versatile and can refer to size, height, or age.
* *A minha casa é maior que a sua.* (My house is bigger than yours.) (Size)
* *O meu irmão é maior que eu.* (My brother is taller/older than me.) (Height/Age)
  1. 1Menor (Smaller, Younger): This word replaces mais pequeno (more small). Like maior, menor can refer to size or age, particularly in Brazilian Portuguese.
* *Este carro é menor que o outro.* (This car is smaller than the other one.) (Size)
* *A minha irmã é menor que eu.* (My sister is younger than me.) (Age)
When making comparisons, you'll often use the structure [noun] é [comparative adjective] que [noun/pronoun]. These irregular forms are crucial for mastering comparative adjectives in A1 Portuguese.

Common Mistakes

  1. 1✗ Wrong: *Este livro é mais bom.*
✓ Correct: *Este livro é melhor.*
*Explanation:* In Portuguese, just like in English, good has an irregular comparative form (better). You should always use melhor instead of mais bom.
  1. 1✗ Wrong: *A minha cidade é mais grande que a sua.*
✓ Correct: *A minha cidade é maior que a sua.*
*Explanation:* For bigger or larger, the correct irregular comparative is maior, not mais grande. It applies to size, height, or even age.
  1. 1✗ Wrong: *O meu cão é mais pequeno que o teu.*
✓ Correct: *O meu cão é menor que o teu.*
*Explanation:* To say smaller, the correct irregular comparative is menor, not mais pequeno. This also applies to age (younger).

Real Conversations

A

A

*Gostas mais deste restaurante ou daquele?* (Do you like this restaurant or that one more?)
B

B

*Aquele é melhor. A comida é melhor lá.* (That one is better. The food is better there.)
A

A

*A tua filha é mais velha que a minha?* (Is your daughter older than mine?)
B

B

*Sim, a minha é maior que a tua por dois anos.* (Yes, mine is older than yours by two years.)
A

A

*Qual te parece o presente menor?* (Which seems like the smaller gift to you?)
B

B

*Este aqui. Mas o conteúdo é pior!* (This one here. But the content is worse!)

Quick FAQ

Q

Can I ever use mais bom or mais mau in Portuguese?

No, you should always use melhor for better and pior for worse. These are fixed irregular forms in Portuguese grammar.

Q

Is maior only for physical size?

No, maior can mean bigger (size), taller (height), or older (age). For example, *Ele é maior que eu* can mean

He is taller than me
or
He is older than me.

Q

What's the difference between mais pequeno and menor?

While mais pequeno is sometimes heard in very informal contexts or when referring to literal smallness, the correct and natural comparative for smaller is menor. It's also used for younger, especially in Brazil.

Q

Are there other irregular comparatives I should know for A1 Portuguese?

For A1 Portuguese, melhor, pior, maior, and menor are the most crucial irregular comparatives. You've got the essentials covered!

Cultural Context

These irregular comparatives are incredibly common and integral to everyday Portuguese conversation. Using melhor, pior, maior, and menor immediately makes you sound more natural and fluent. For example, when discussing age, especially in Brazil, it's very common to say *Ela é menor que eu* (She is younger than me) or *Ele é maior que o irmão* (He is older than his brother).
Mastering these forms early in your Portuguese grammar journey will significantly enhance your ability to express opinions and describe the world around you, making your conversations much smoother and more authentic.

Exemples clés (2)

1

A sala de estar é `maior` que a cozinha.

Le salon est plus grand que la cuisine.

Comparatif irrégulier : `grande` → `maior` (Plus grand)
2

Comprei os sapatos `maiores` que encontrei.

J'ai acheté les plus grandes chaussures que j'ai trouvées.

Comparatif irrégulier : `grande` → `maior` (Plus grand)

Conseils et astuces (4)

⚠️

Alerte carton rouge

Si tu te surprends à dire 'mais bom', arrête-toi tout de suite. Remplace-le par melhor. C'est l'erreur de débutant la plus courante !
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Dire 'Mieux/Meilleur' (Pas Mais Bom !)
💡

Pense au duo 'Mieux/Pire'

C'est comme en français : on ne dit pas 'plus bon', on dit 'meilleur'. En portugais, bom devient melhor et mau devient pior.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Comparatif irrégulier : Pire (`pior`)
💡

Dans le doute, utilise toujours `maior`

L'exception (mais grande) est si rare à l'oral que tu peux presque l'oublier. Pour comparer deux choses, 99% du temps, c'est maior le bon choix : Este quarto é maior.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Comparatif irrégulier : `grande` → `maior` (Plus grand)
⚠️

Le crime du double comparatif

Ne combine jamais mais et menor. Dire mais menor est une grosse erreur :
Meu quarto é menor que o seu.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Comparatifs Irréguliers : Menor (Plus petit)

Vocabulaire clé (5)

bom good mau bad grande big pequeno small do que than

Real-World Preview

shopping-cart

Market Shopping

Review Summary

  • X + é + melhor + do que + Y
  • X + é + pior + do que + Y
  • X + é + maior + do que + Y
  • X + é + menor + do que + Y

Erreurs courantes

Learners often try to apply the 'mais' rule to everything. Remember that 'bom' is irregular.

Wrong: Este café é mais bom.
Correct: Este café é melhor.

Even though 'grande' is a regular adjective, its comparative form is irregular. Avoid 'mais grande'.

Wrong: Minha casa é mais grande.
Correct: Minha casa é maior.

Using 'mais' with an already irregular comparative is redundant. 'Pior' already includes the comparative meaning.

Wrong: Ele é mais pior do que eu.
Correct: Ele é pior do que eu.

Next Steps

You have done an excellent job mastering these tricky forms. Keep practicing, and you will be sounding fluent in no time!

Compare items in your room aloud.

Continue to: Connecting Ideas and Conditions

Pratique rapide (6)

Laquelle de ces phrases est correcte ?

Choisis la bonne phrase :

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: As cidades são maiores aqui.
Comme cidades (villes) est au pluriel, on doit utiliser maiores.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Comparatif irrégulier : `grande` → `maior` (Plus grand)

Trouve et corrige l'erreur dans la phrase.

Este computador é mais grande que o meu.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Este computador é maior que o meu.
La façon standard de dire 'plus grand que' pour des objets est maior que.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Comparatif irrégulier : `grande` → `maior` (Plus grand)

Quelle phrase est correcte ?

Choisis la bonne option :

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Este bolo é melhor.
'Mais bom' n'existe pas. Utilise 'melhor' pour comparer.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Dire 'Mieux/Meilleur' (Pas Mais Bom !)

Complète la phrase avec la bonne forme pour dire 'plus grand'.

O Brasil é ___ que a Argentina.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: maior
Pour comparer deux pays différents, on utilise le comparatif irrégulier maior.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Comparatif irrégulier : `grande` → `maior` (Plus grand)

Complète la phrase avec la forme correcte.

O meu carro é ___ (better) que o teu.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: melhor
On ne dit jamais 'mais bom'. Le comparatif de 'bom' est toujours 'melhor'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Dire 'Mieux/Meilleur' (Pas Mais Bom !)

Trouve l'erreur dans cette phrase.

Find and fix the mistake:

As tuas notas são melhor que as minhas.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: As tuas notas são melhores que as minhas.
Comme 'notas' (notes) est au pluriel, 'melhor' doit aussi passer au pluriel : 'melhores'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Dire 'Mieux/Meilleur' (Pas Mais Bom !)

Score: /6

Questions fréquentes (6)

Non ! Il est neutre. On dit O homem é melhor et A mulher é melhor. C'est le même mot.
Utilise muito melhor. Ne dis surtout pas 'mais melhor', c'est une répétition inutile et incorrecte.
Pior signifie 'pire' en portugais. On l'utilise pour comparer deux choses quand l'une est moins bonne que l'autre.
Non ! Mau veut dire 'mauvais'. Pior est la forme pour comparer, comme dans
Este filme é pior que o outro
.
La règle est d'utiliser maior. Comme grande est irrégulier, on ne dit pas mais grande. Par exemple :
Minha casa é maior que a sua.
C'est un adjectif uniforme ! Il ne change pas selon le genre. On dit o carro maior et a casa maior. C'est super simple.
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