A2 Adjectives & Adverbs 16 min read Easy

Spanish Irregular Comparatives: Better, Worse, Older, Younger (mejor, peor, mayor, menor)

Irregular comparatives replace the 'más + adjective' pattern to express 'better', 'worse', 'older', and 'younger' efficiently.
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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

Replace 'más bueno' or 'más viejo' with irregular forms like 'mejor' or 'mayor' to sound like a native speaker.

  • Use 'mejor' (better) instead of 'más bueno'. Example: Este libro es mejor.
  • Use 'peor' (worse) instead of 'más malo'. Example: El clima está peor hoy.
  • Use 'mayor' (older) and 'menor' (younger) for age. Example: Mi hermano mayor.
Adjective (Irregular) + que + Noun

Overview

In Spanish, expressing comparison isn't always a simple matter of adding más (more) or menos (less). Just as English employs irregular forms like 'good' -> 'better' or 'bad' -> 'worse,' Spanish possesses four crucial irregular comparatives: mejor (better), peor (worse), mayor (older/greater), and menor (younger/smaller). Mastering these terms is fundamental for fluency, allowing you to articulate nuanced comparisons naturally and precisely.

Ignoring them leads to grammatically incorrect and distinctly unnatural constructions like más bueno or más malo, which Spanish speakers rarely use for comparative quality.

These irregular forms are not arbitrary; they are direct descendants of Latin's synthetic comparative adjectives, which were single words carrying an inherent comparative meaning. This historical linguistic legacy explains why they do not combine with más or menos – the idea of 'more' or 'less' is already embedded within them. Understanding this intrinsic comparative value is key to their correct usage.

You're not saying 'more good'; you're saying 'better.' This concept is critical for learners at the A2 level, as it represents a significant departure from the more common más/menos + adjective pattern you've likely already encountered.

How This Grammar Works

Spanish irregular comparatives function as direct replacements for their base adjectives when expressing a comparative degree. They automatically convey the idea of 'more' or 'less' quality, age, or size, thus rendering más or menos redundant. This is a fundamental principle: once you use mejor, peor, mayor, or menor, you have already formed the comparative.
For example, to say 'better,' you must use mejor instead of bueno. If you want to convey 'worse,' peor replaces malo. Similarly, for concepts of age or abstract magnitude, mayor replaces grande, and menor replaces pequeño.
These are not optional choices but mandatory substitutions to form grammatically correct comparisons in these specific contexts. Think of them as special comparative adjectives that stand on their own.
These irregular comparatives typically precede the conjunction que (than) when you are directly comparing two nouns or clauses. The basic structure follows this pattern:
[Subject] + [Verb (e.g., ser/estar)] + [Irregular Comparative] + que + [Object of Comparison]
For instance, Tu español es mejor que el mío. (Your Spanish is better than mine.) Here, mejor indicates a superior quality in Spanish, followed by que and the object of comparison. Importantly, these comparatives agree in number (singular or plural) with the noun they modify, but they do not change for gender. This means mejor remains mejor whether you're talking about el libro (masculine singular) or la película (feminine singular).
However, if you are comparing plural nouns like los coches or las casas, mejor becomes mejores. This invariance in gender simplifies their application, but remember to always adjust for number.
Consider the sentence Las nuevas versiones son mejores que las antiguas. (The new versions are better than the old ones.) Here, mejores agrees in number with versiones, but its form doesn't change because versiones is feminine. This agreement in number is crucial for maintaining grammatical coherence and flow within your sentences.

Formation Pattern

1
The formation of Spanish irregular comparatives is characterized by a complete lexical change rather than an additive process. You don't build them; you substitute them. This contrasts sharply with regular comparatives that simply add más or menos before the adjective. For these four specific adjectives, a new word is entirely adopted to convey the comparative meaning. The only inflection these irregular comparatives take is for number, adapting to singular or plural nouns. They are consistently invariant in gender.
2
Here's a detailed table summarizing their formation and usage:
3
| Base Adjective | Meaning (Base) | Irregular Comparative (Singular) | Irregular Comparative (Plural) | Common English Translation | Usage Contexts |
4
| :------------- | :---------------- | :------------------------------- | :----------------------------- | :---------------------------- | :-------------------------------------------------------- |
5
| bueno/a | good | mejor | mejores | better | Quality, preference, skill, well-being. |
6
| malo/a | bad | peor | peores | worse | Quality, condition, outcome, performance. |
7
| grande | big / old | mayor | mayores | older / greater | Age (people/animals), abstract size, importance, quantity. |
8
| pequeño/a | small / young | menor | menores | younger / smaller | Age (people/animals), abstract size, importance, quantity. |
9
Let's examine each pair more closely:
10
For Quality Comparisons (bueno / malo):
11
When an item, concept, or person is 'good,' and you want to say 'better,' you always use mejor. For example, Este restaurante es mejor que aquel. (This restaurant is better than that one.) If referring to multiple things, use mejores: Sus resultados son mejores ahora. (His results are better now.)
12
Conversely, if something is 'bad' and you mean 'worse,' the correct form is peor. For instance, La situación económica es peor este año. (The economic situation is worse this year.) For plural nouns, use peores: Las condiciones eran peores de lo esperado. (The conditions were worse than expected.)
13
For Age and Abstract Extent (grande / pequeño):
14
When grande refers to age ('old') or an abstract concept of 'greater' (e.g., importance, quantity, degree), its comparative form is mayor. For example, Mi hermana mayor vive en Barcelona. (My older sister lives in Barcelona.) Or, Necesitamos una mayor inversión. (We need a greater investment.) In plural, mayores: Los problemas mayores requieren más atención. (The greater problems require more attention.)
15
When pequeño signifies age ('young') or an abstract concept of 'smaller' (e.g., lesser importance, smaller quantity, degree), its comparative form is menor. For example, El hijo menor de María estudia arte. (Maria's younger son studies art.) Or, Tiene menor influencia en el grupo. (He has less/smaller influence in the group.) In plural, menores: Los gastos menores no afectan el presupuesto. (Minor expenses don't affect the budget.)
16
The crucial point for formation is to internalize these four words as complete replacements. They are self-contained comparative adjectives. Their only morphological change is the addition of -es for plural agreement, making them mejores, peores, mayores, and menores.

When To Use It

These four irregular comparatives are indispensable tools for daily communication, each with specific domains of use. Understanding these contexts ensures not only grammatical correctness but also natural, idiomatic expression.
  • Mejor (Better): You use mejor to express superior quality, preference, improved well-being, or enhanced skill. It covers a broad spectrum of 'better' in English.
  • Quality/Preference: This is its most common application. Esta versión del software es mejor que la anterior. (This version of the software is better than the previous one.) You are stating a clear improvement or preference.
  • Well-being/Health: When someone's condition improves, mejor is the natural choice. Después de descansar, me siento mucho mejor. (After resting, I feel much better.)
  • Skill/Performance: To compare abilities, mejor is essential. Él juega al tenis mejor que su hermano. (He plays tennis better than his brother.)
  • Subtle Nuance with más bueno: While mejor denotes general quality, the construction más bueno (rarely used comparatively in modern Spanish) sometimes implies a higher degree of moral goodness or kindness, rather than objective quality. For example, the idiom Es más bueno que el pan (He is kinder than bread) uses más bueno to describe a person's character, not their performance at a task.
  • Peor (Worse): As the antonym of mejor, peor describes inferior quality, a deteriorated condition, or an undesirable outcome. Its usage parallels mejor across various contexts.
  • Quality/Condition: El servicio en este hotel es peor que en el de al lado. (The service in this hotel is worse than in the one next door.) This reflects a decline or lower standard.
  • Health/Situation: Su estado de ánimo ha estado peor desde la noticia. (His mood has been worse since the news.) It indicates a negative change.
  • Performance: Mi concentración fue peor durante el segundo examen. (My concentration was worse during the second exam.)
  • Mayor (Older / Greater): This comparative is critical for differentiating age and abstract magnitude from physical size. Its dual application is a key area for A2 learners.
  • Age (for people and living beings): Mayor is the standard, polite, and universally accepted term for 'older' when referring to age. It is used for familial relationships (hermano mayor, older brother) and general age comparisons. Mi abuela es mayor que mi abuelo por dos años. (My grandmother is older than my grandfather by two years.) This is a respectful way to describe age. Cultural Insight: In many Spanish-speaking cultures, using persona mayor (an older person) is a respectful form of address, conveying wisdom and experience, unlike viejo/a which can sometimes carry connotations of being worn out or even offensive when applied to people.
  • Abstract Size, Importance, or Quantity (Greater): Mayor also means 'greater' in a non-physical sense. La mayor parte de los problemas ya está resuelta. (The greater/majority part of the problems is already resolved.) Or, Tiene una mayor responsabilidad en el proyecto. (He has greater responsibility in the project.) You might also hear of a mayor challenge or a mayor impact, referring to intensity or significance, not physical dimensions.
  • Menor (Younger / Smaller): The counterpart to mayor, menor also distinguishes between age/abstract concepts and physical size.
  • Age (for people and living beings): Menor is the appropriate and common term for 'younger.' It's often used for children or younger siblings. Mi primo menor acaba de terminar la escuela. (My younger cousin just finished school.) Los niños menores de tres años entran gratis. (Children younger than three years old enter for free.)
  • Abstract Size, Importance, or Quantity (Smaller/Minor): Menor conveys 'smaller' or 'minor' in an abstract sense. Se espera una menor participación en las elecciones. (A smaller/lower participation in the elections is expected.) Los detalles menores pueden ser discutidos después. (The minor details can be discussed later.) This could refer to a menor risk, a menor expense, or a menor degree of difficulty.

Common Mistakes

Navigating these irregular comparatives can be challenging, primarily due to interference from English or over-application of regular Spanish comparative rules. Being aware of these common pitfalls is crucial for your progress.
  • Using más with Irregular Comparatives: This is the most frequent and indicative error. Since mejor, peor, mayor, and menor inherently contain the idea of 'more' or 'less,' adding más (más mejor) creates a grammatical redundancy, akin to saying 'more better' in English. This error demonstrates a fundamental misunderstanding of their irregular nature.
  • Incorrect: *Este teléfono es más mejor que el mío.
  • Correct: Este teléfono es mejor que el mío. (This phone is better than mine.)
  • Incorrect: *La situación se puso más peor.
  • Correct: La situación se puso peor. (The situation got worse.)
  • Incorrect Gender Agreement: A common learner's instinct is to make all adjectives agree in gender. However, mejor, peor, mayor, and menor are invariant in gender. They only change for number. Trying to force gender agreement is incorrect.
  • Incorrect: *La camisa es mejora. (Attempting to make mejor feminine.)
  • Correct: La camisa es mejor. (The shirt is better.)
  • Incorrect: *Las opiniones fueron peoras. (Attempting to make peor feminine plural.)
  • Correct: Las opiniones fueron peores. (The opinions were worse.)
  • Confusing mayor/menor with más grande/más pequeño: This is perhaps the most critical distinction to master. While mayor and menor relate to age or abstract concepts of size/importance, más grande and más pequeño refer exclusively to physical size or dimension.
  • Mayor vs. más grande:
  • Use mayor for age (older) or abstract magnitude (greater/larger in terms of importance, quantity, degree). Mi padre es mayor que mi madre. (My father is older than my mother.) Necesitas una mayor concentración. (You need greater concentration.)
  • Use más grande only for physical size (bigger/larger). Tu casa es más grande que la mía. (Your house is bigger than mine.) Compramos un televisor más grande para la sala. (We bought a bigger TV for the living room.)
  • Incorrect: *Mi coche es mayor que el tuyo. (Unless you mean your car has a longer history or is institutionally greater, which is unlikely in this context.)
  • Correct: Mi coche es más grande que el tuyo. (My car is bigger than yours.)
  • Menor vs. más pequeño:
  • Use menor for age (younger) or abstract smallness (smaller/minor in terms of importance, quantity, degree). Mi hermano menor tiene diez años. (My younger brother is ten years old.) Los problemas menores se pueden posponer. (The minor problems can be postponed.)
  • Use más pequeño only for physical size (smaller). Quiero un café más pequeño, por favor. (I want a smaller coffee, please.) El nuevo apartamento es más pequeño que el anterior. (The new apartment is smaller than the previous one.)
  • Incorrect: *Ella pidió un perro menor. (Unless she requested a younger dog, not a physically smaller one.)
  • Correct: Ella pidió un perro más pequeño. (She asked for a smaller dog.)
  • Forgetting Pluralization: While the absence of gender agreement simplifies things, you still need to ensure number agreement. If the noun being modified is plural, the irregular comparative must also be plural.
  • Incorrect: Mis hijos son mayor que los tuyos.
  • Correct: Mis hijos son mayores que los tuyos. (My children are older than yours.)
  • Using más viejo/a for 'older person': While más viejo/a is grammatically correct for objects that are physically older or worn out, using it for people can sound impolite or even offensive. Mayor is the respectful and preferred term for human age. This is a crucial politeness distinction in Spanish.
  • Less polite/Potentially offensive: *Esa señora es más vieja que mi abuela.
  • Polite/Natural: Esa señora es mayor que mi abuela. (That lady is older than my grandmother.)

Real Conversations

These irregular comparatives are an integral part of everyday Spanish, appearing naturally in diverse contexts, from informal chats to professional exchanges. Observing their usage in these scenarios solidifies your understanding.

E

Example 1

Casual Opinion (Text Message/Social Media)

- Sender: ¿Has visto el partido de anoche? Para mí, el equipo jugó mejor en el segundo tiempo. (Have you seen last night's game? For me, the team played better in the second half.)

- Recipient: Sí, totalmente de acuerdo. Los árbitros estuvieron peores que nunca, eso sí. (Yes, totally agree. The referees were worse than ever, though.)

E

Example 2

Family and Age Discussion (Casual Conversation)

- Friend A: ¿Cuántos años tienen tus hermanos? (How old are your siblings?)

- Friend B: Mi hermana mayor ya está en la universidad, y mi hermano menor todavía va al colegio. (My older sister is already in university, and my younger brother still goes to school.)

E

Example 3

Shopping and Product Comparison (In a store)

- Customer: Entre estos dos portátiles, ¿cuál es mejor para diseño gráfico? (Between these two laptops, which one is better for graphic design?)

- Salesperson: El de la izquierda tiene una capacidad de procesamiento mayor y una pantalla de mejor resolución, aunque el precio es un poco mayor también. (The one on the left has greater processing capacity and a better resolution screen, although the price is a bit higher too.)

E

Example 4

Work and Responsibility (Professional Email)

- Manager (Email Subject): Re: Propuesta de Proyecto X

- Email Body: Estimado equipo, después de revisar sus propuestas, la de Javier presenta una visión mayor y un plan de implementación mejor que las demás. No obstante, las propuestas menores también tienen puntos valiosos. (Dear team, after reviewing your proposals, Javier's presents a greater vision and a better implementation plan than the others. However, the minor proposals also have valuable points.)

Notice how these comparatives are seamlessly integrated, carrying their inherent meaning without the need for más. The choice between mayor/menor and más grande/más pequeño is dictated by whether you're discussing age/abstract concepts or physical dimensions, showcasing their precise roles in communication.

Quick FAQ

  • Q: Do mejor and peor change for gender?
  • A: No, mejor and peor are invariable in gender. They remain the same whether they modify a masculine or feminine noun. However, they do change for number, becoming mejores and peores when modifying plural nouns.
  • Q: Can I ever say más bueno or más malo?
  • A: Rarely, and only with a specific, different nuance. While mejor and peor refer to objective quality, más bueno can sometimes be used to describe someone's moral character (e.g., más bueno que el pan, kinder than bread), and más malo can refer to someone being extremely mischievous or morally corrupt. However, for general quality comparisons, mejor and peor are the mandatory forms.
  • Q: What is the main difference between mayor and más grande?
  • A: Mayor refers to age (older) or abstract magnitude (greater importance, quantity, intensity). For example, Mi hermano es mayor. (My brother is older.) Tenemos una mayor necesidad. (We have a greater need.) In contrast, más grande refers exclusively to physical size (bigger). For example, Quiero un coche más grande. (I want a bigger car.) This distinction is crucial for natural Spanish.
  • Q: And between menor and más pequeño?
  • A: Similar to mayor and más grande, menor refers to age (younger) or abstract smallness (lesser importance, quantity, intensity). For instance, Mi hermana es menor que yo. (My sister is younger than I am.) Son problemas menores. (They are minor problems.) Más pequeño is reserved for physical size (smaller). For example, El perro es más pequeño que el gato. (The dog is smaller than the cat.)
  • Q: Are these irregular comparatives always used, or can I sometimes use más bueno for 'better'?
  • A: For the meaning of 'better' in terms of quality, performance, or general good, mejor is the only correct form in modern Spanish. Similarly, peor, mayor, and menor are mandatory replacements for their respective comparative meanings. Using más bueno or más malo for these comparative purposes is considered incorrect and unnatural by native speakers.

Irregular Comparative Forms

Adjective Meaning Singular Plural
Bueno
Good
Mejor
Mejores
Malo
Bad
Peor
Peores
Grande (age)
Older
Mayor
Mayores
Pequeño (age)
Younger
Menor
Menores

Meanings

These adjectives replace the standard 'más + adjective' structure for specific concepts of quality and age.

1

Quality

Expressing that something is of higher or lower quality.

“Esta película es mejor.”

“Su trabajo es peor que el mío.”

2

Age

Comparing the age of people (usually family members).

“Ella es mi hermana mayor.”

“Él es el menor de la familia.”

Reference Table

Reference table for Spanish Irregular Comparatives: Better, Worse, Older, Younger (mejor, peor, mayor, menor)
Form Structure Example
Affirmative
Noun + verb + mejor + que + noun
Él es mejor que yo.
Negative
No + verb + mejor + que + noun
No es mejor que el otro.
Question
¿Es + mejor + que + noun?
¿Es mejor que el anterior?
Plural
Noun + verb + mejores + que + noun
Son mejores que los míos.
Age
Noun + es + mayor/menor
Ella es mi hermana mayor.
Redundancy Warning
X + más + mejor
Incorrect: Es más mejor.

Formality Spectrum

Formal
Esta opción es preferible.

Esta opción es preferible. (Decision making)

Neutral
Esta opción es mejor.

Esta opción es mejor. (Decision making)

Informal
Esto está mejor.

Esto está mejor. (Decision making)

Slang
Esto está de lujo.

Esto está de lujo. (Decision making)

Irregular Comparatives Map

Irregular Comparatives

Quality

  • mejor better
  • peor worse

Age

  • mayor older
  • menor younger

Regular vs Irregular

Regular
más alto taller
Irregular
mejor better

Do I use 'más'?

1

Is the adjective 'bueno', 'malo', 'grande', or 'pequeño'?

YES
Use irregular form (mejor/peor/mayor/menor)
NO
Use 'más' + adjective

Usage Grid

👤

People

  • • mayor
  • • menor
📦

Objects

  • • mejor
  • • peor
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Examples by Level

1

Este café es mejor.

This coffee is better.

2

Mi hermano es mayor.

My brother is older.

3

El examen es peor.

The exam is worse.

4

Tengo una hermana menor.

I have a younger sister.

1

Mis notas son mejores que las tuyas.

My grades are better than yours.

2

La situación es peor ahora.

The situation is worse now.

3

Ellos son los mayores de la clase.

They are the oldest in the class.

4

Es mi menor preocupación.

It is my least concern.

1

Este plan es de mayor importancia.

This plan is of greater importance.

2

Los resultados fueron peores de lo esperado.

The results were worse than expected.

3

Es la mejor opción que tenemos.

It is the best option we have.

4

Mis hijos menores están en casa.

My younger children are at home.

1

La calidad del servicio es mejorable.

The service quality could be better.

2

Es un problema de mayor calado.

It is a problem of greater depth.

3

Las condiciones son peores que ayer.

The conditions are worse than yesterday.

4

Es el menor de mis problemas.

It is the least of my problems.

1

Su contribución fue de mayor relevancia.

His contribution was of greater relevance.

2

La situación devino peor con el tiempo.

The situation became worse over time.

3

Es, con mucho, la mejor solución.

It is, by far, the best solution.

4

Los menores de edad no pueden entrar.

Minors cannot enter.

1

La mayor parte del tiempo estamos ocupados.

Most of the time we are busy.

2

No hay mal que por bien no venga, pero esto es peor.

Every cloud has a silver lining, but this is worse.

3

La mejor de las suertes en tu empresa.

The best of luck in your venture.

4

Es un mal menor en este contexto.

It is a lesser evil in this context.

Easily Confused

Spanish Irregular Comparatives: Better, Worse, Older, Younger (mejor, peor, mayor, menor) vs Más bueno vs Mejor

Learners think 'más' is always needed for comparatives.

Spanish Irregular Comparatives: Better, Worse, Older, Younger (mejor, peor, mayor, menor) vs Mayor vs Más viejo

Both mean 'older'.

Spanish Irregular Comparatives: Better, Worse, Older, Younger (mejor, peor, mayor, menor) vs Menor vs Más joven

Both mean 'younger'.

Common Mistakes

✗

más bueno

✓

mejor

Never use 'más' with irregulars.
✗

más malo

✓

peor

Use the irregular form.
✗

más mayor

✓

mayor

Redundant 'más'.
✗

más menor

✓

menor

Redundant 'más'.
✗

mi hermano más viejo

✓

mi hermano mayor

Use 'mayor' for family age.
✗

el mejor libro que más me gusta

✓

el mejor libro que me gusta

Redundancy.
✗

es más peor

✓

es peor

Double comparative.
✗

la mayor parte de los coches

✓

la mayoría de los coches

Use 'mayoría' for quantity.
✗

es el más mejor

✓

es el mejor

Superlative error.
✗

mi menor hermano

✓

mi hermano menor

Adjective placement.
✗

es más mayor que yo

✓

es mayor que yo

Hypercorrection.
✗

la mejor de las mejores

✓

la mejor

Redundancy.
✗

es el peor de todos los peores

✓

es el peor

Redundancy.
✗

una mayor importancia

✓

mayor importancia

Article usage.

Sentence Patterns

___ es mejor que ___.

Mi hermano ___ es ___.

La situación es ___ que ayer.

Es la ___ opción que tenemos.

Real World Usage

Ordering food constant

La pizza es mejor que la hamburguesa.

Social media very common

¡Este filtro es mejor!

Job interview common

Tengo una mayor experiencia en ventas.

Texting constant

¡Mejor! Nos vemos luego.

Travel common

Este hotel es peor de lo que pensaba.

Food delivery apps common

La opción mejor valorada.

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💡

Avoid 'más'

If you are about to say 'más mejor', stop! Just say 'mejor'.
⚠️

Objects vs People

Use 'mayor' for people, 'más viejo' for objects.
🎯

Plurals

Don't forget to add -es for plural nouns.
💬

Regional usage

Be aware that some regions use 'más grande' for age.

Smart Tips

Use 'mejor' or 'peor' instead of 'más bueno/malo'.

Es más bueno. → Es mejor.

Use 'mayor' or 'menor'.

Mi hermano más viejo. → Mi hermano mayor.

Add -es to the irregular form.

Mis amigos son mejor. → Mis amigos son mejores.

Use 'más viejo' instead of 'mayor'.

Este coche es mayor. → Este coche es más viejo.

Pronunciation

me-HOR, pe-OR

Stress

Mejor and peor have stress on the last syllable.

ma-YOR, me-NOR

Mayor/Menor

Stress is on the penultimate syllable.

Comparative statement

Es mejor ↗ que el otro ↘

Rising on the subject, falling on the comparison.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Remember 'B-M-M-M': Better, Malo(worse), Mayor, Menor.

Visual Association

Imagine a scale. On one side, a 'Better' trophy (Mejor). On the other, a 'Worse' trash can (Peor). An old man (Mayor) and a young child (Menor) are standing next to the scale.

Rhyme

Si quieres decir 'better', di 'mejor', no seas un error.

Story

My older brother (mayor) is better (mejor) at soccer than me. My younger brother (menor) is worse (peor) at soccer than both of us.

Word Web

mejorpeormayormenormejorespeoresmayoresmenores

Challenge

Write 4 sentences comparing your family members using 'mayor' and 'menor'.

Cultural Notes

In Spain, 'mayor' is used strictly for age. Using 'más viejo' for a person can be considered rude.

In Mexico, 'más mejor' is sometimes heard in very colloquial speech, but it is strictly non-standard.

Argentines often use 'más grande' for age instead of 'mayor' in casual conversation.

These forms come directly from Latin comparatives (melior, peior, maior, minor).

Conversation Starters

“

¿Qué es mejor, el café o el té?

“

¿Tienes hermanos mayores o menores?

“

¿Cuál es la peor película que has visto?

“

¿Es mejor trabajar desde casa o en la oficina?

Journal Prompts

Describe your family members using 'mayor' and 'menor'.
Compare your current job with your previous job using 'mejor' and 'peor'.
Write a review of a restaurant using these comparatives.
Discuss a social issue and why it is getting 'peor'.

Common Mistakes

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

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Test Yourself

Fill in the blank with the correct comparative.

Este coche es ___ que el mío.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: mejor
Mejor is the irregular form.
Choose the correct sentence. Multiple Choice

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Es mi hermano mayor.
Mayor is used for family.
Fix the mistake. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

La película es más peor que el libro.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: La película es peor que el libro.
Peor is the irregular form.
Transform to plural. Sentence Transformation

El libro es mejor. (Plural)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Los libros son mejores.
Mejor becomes mejores.
True or False? True False Rule

Can you use 'más' with 'mejor'?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: False
Never use 'más' with irregulars.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: ¿Cómo está el clima? B: Está ___ que ayer.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: peor
Peor is the irregular form.
Order the words. Sentence Building

mejor / es / que / el / café / té

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: El café es mejor que el té.
Correct word order.
Match the adjective to its comparative. Match Pairs

Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: mejor
Bueno becomes mejor.

Score: /8

Practice Exercises

8 exercises
Fill in the blank with the correct comparative.

Este coche es ___ que el mío.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: mejor
Mejor is the irregular form.
Choose the correct sentence. Multiple Choice

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Es mi hermano mayor.
Mayor is used for family.
Fix the mistake. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

La película es más peor que el libro.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: La película es peor que el libro.
Peor is the irregular form.
Transform to plural. Sentence Transformation

El libro es mejor. (Plural)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Los libros son mejores.
Mejor becomes mejores.
True or False? True False Rule

Can you use 'más' with 'mejor'?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: False
Never use 'más' with irregulars.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: ¿Cómo está el clima? B: Está ___ que ayer.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: peor
Peor is the irregular form.
Order the words. Sentence Building

mejor / es / que / el / café / té

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: El café es mejor que el té.
Correct word order.
Match the adjective to its comparative. Match Pairs

Bueno -> ?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: mejor
Bueno becomes mejor.

Score: /8

Practice Bank

10 exercises
Fill in the blank Fill in the Blank

Mis primos son ___ que yo; tienen 5 y 8 años.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: menores
Translate this sentence to Spanish Translation

Health is better than money.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: La salud es mejor que el dinero.
Which one describes a 'worse' situation? Multiple Choice

Pick the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: El tráfico hoy es peor.
Put the words in the correct order: Sentence Reorder

mejores / que / son / estas / pizzas / las / otras

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Estas pizzas son mejores que las otras.
Fix the mistake: Error Correction

Este restaurante es más mejor.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Este restaurante es mejor.
Match the adjective with its irregular comparative. Match Pairs

Match the following:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Bueno -> Mejor
Fill in the blank Fill in the Blank

La película de terror fue ___ que la de comedia.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: peor
Identify the plural comparative: Multiple Choice

Which one is correct for 'They are older'?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ellos son mayores.
Translate 'worse' in a plural context: Translation

The results were worse.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Los resultados fueron peores.
Fix the sentence about age: Error Correction

Mi hijo es más menor que tu hija.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Mi hijo es menor que tu hija.

Score: /10

FAQ (8)

It is grammatically redundant. 'Mejor' already contains the comparative meaning.

Mostly for age and rank. For physical size, use 'más grande'.

No, they are gender-neutral. Only number (singular/plural) matters.

Yes, to describe someone's behavior or quality.

Use 'el/la mejor'.

It's not wrong, but 'mayor' is more polite.

Use 'el/la peor'.

These four are the main ones for comparatives.

Scaffolded Practice

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Mastery Progress

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In Other Languages

French high

meilleur

French uses 'plus' for other comparatives just like Spanish.

German moderate

besser

German has more irregular comparatives than Spanish.

Japanese low

yori yoi

Japanese grammar is agglutinative, not inflectional.

Arabic moderate

afdal

Arabic comparatives are derived from the root.

Chinese low

geng hao

Chinese does not have irregular adjectives in the same way.

English high

better/worse

English uses 'older' (suffix) vs Spanish 'mayor' (word).

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Previous
Spanish Equality: Being 'As... As' (Tan... como)
Next
Spanish Superlatives: The Best of the Best (el más... de)

Learn These First

A2 Builds On

Spanish Comparatives: More... than (más... que)

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Irregular Comparatives: Better (mejor)

Overview You've likely encountered moments where a direct English translation for "better" feels incorrect in Spanish. W...
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Better and Worse: Irregular Comparisons (mejor, peor, mayor, menor)

Overview Spanish grammar typically forms comparatives using the structure `más` + [adjective] + `que`, translating to "m...

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