A2 Adjectives & Adverbs 15 min read Easy

Better and Worse: Irregular Comparisons (mejor, peor, mayor, menor)

Drop the 'más' and use mejor, peor, mayor, or menor to compare quality and age naturally.
Mark as Learned
Practice it

Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

Use 'mejor' and 'peor' for quality, and 'mayor' and 'menor' for age or size instead of 'más bueno/malo/grande/pequeño'.

  • Use 'mejor' (better) and 'peor' (worse) to describe quality or skill level.
  • Use 'mayor' (older/bigger) and 'menor' (younger/smaller) for age or hierarchy.
  • These words already contain the comparative meaning, so never add 'más' before them.
Noun + Verb + [mejor/peor/mayor/menor] + que + Noun

Overview

Spanish grammar typically forms comparatives using the structure más + [adjective] + que, translating to "more... than." For example, más rápido que means "faster than." However, four fundamental adjectives—bueno (good), malo (bad), grande (big/old), and pequeño (small/young)—operate outside this regular pattern. These words possess irregular comparative forms: mejor (better), peor (worse), mayor (older/greater), and menor (younger/lesser).

Understanding these irregular forms is crucial for achieving fluency and expressing nuance in Spanish. Their irregularity is not an arbitrary grammatical quirk but a direct inheritance from Latin. The Latin predecessors of these words—melior, peior, major, minor—were already inherently comparative.

Consequently, adding más to them in Spanish, as in más mejor, is grammatically redundant and incorrect, analogous to saying "more better" in English. Mastering these forms allows you to articulate evaluations, preferences, age, and relative significance with native-like precision, marking a significant step beyond basic sentence construction.

How This Grammar Works

Unlike most Spanish adjectives that require the intensifier más to create a comparative meaning, mejor, peor, mayor, and menor are inherently comparative. They do not need más because their core meaning already expresses a greater or lesser degree of the quality they represent. This inherent comparison makes them grammatically unique and indispensable for natural Spanish expression.
Your primary task is to recognize when these specific adjectives should replace their regular counterparts.
These irregular comparatives do not change for gender but do agree in number with the noun they modify. This means you will use mejor for both masculine and feminine singular nouns, but mejores for masculine and feminine plural nouns. For instance, you would say el mejor libro (the better book) and la mejor película (the better movie).
For plural nouns, these become los mejores libros (the better books) and las mejores películas (the better movies). This simplified gender agreement stands in contrast to many other Spanish adjectives, which typically require both gender and number agreement.
When these forms are used to express superlatives (meaning "the best," "the worst," etc.), you simply precede them with the appropriate definite article (el, la, los, las). So, el mejor translates to "the best" (masculine singular), and las peores means "the worst" (feminine plural). This direct method of forming superlatives highlights their special status within the language, as their intrinsic comparative strength extends directly to expressing the highest or lowest degree without additional grammatical constructions.
They function both as adjectives, modifying nouns, and as adverbs, modifying verbs, providing considerable versatility in your Spanish.

Formation Pattern

1
Forming these irregular comparatives involves a direct substitution of the base adjective. There are no prefixes or suffixes to add; instead, the positive form transforms entirely into its comparative equivalent. Commit these four pairs to memory, paying close attention to their specific applications, particularly for mayor and menor, which carry distinct meanings beyond simple size or age.
2
Here's the direct transformation from the positive adjective to its irregular comparative/superlative form:
3
| Positive Adjective | Irregular Comparative/Superlative |
4
| :---------------------- | :-------------------------------- |
5
| bueno (good) | mejor (better/best) |
6
| malo (bad) | peor (worse/worst) |
7
| grande (big/old) | mayor (older/greater) |
8
| pequeño (small/young) | menor (younger/lesser) |
9
Remember that these forms maintain number agreement with the noun they modify:
10
| | Singular | Plural |
11
| :-------- | :------- | :-------- |
12
| mejor | mejor | mejores |
13
| peor | peor | peores |
14
| mayor | mayor | mayores |
15
| menor | menor | menores |
16
To construct a comparative sentence using these forms, the general structure is:
17
[Noun A] + [Verb] + [Irregular Form] + que + [Noun B]
18
Este restaurante es mejor que ese. (This restaurant is better than that one.)
19
Mi rendimiento es peor que el tuyo. (My performance is worse than yours.)
20
Ella es mayor que su hermana. (She is older than her sister.)
21
To form a superlative meaning "the best/worst/etc.", you typically place the definite article before the irregular form:
22
[Article] + [Irregular Form] + [Noun (optional)]
23
Juan es el mejor estudiante. (Juan is the best student.)
24
Fue la peor experiencia de mi vida. (It was the worst experience of my life.)
25
Queremos las mayores oportunidades. (We want the greatest opportunities.)
26
Crucially, grande and pequeño only become mayor and menor when you refer to age, rank, importance, or abstract magnitude. For the physical size of objects, you must use the regular comparative forms más grande and más pequeño. For instance, you'd say un coche más grande (a bigger car) to refer to physical dimensions, but un problema mayor (a greater problem) to denote importance or significance.

When To Use It

These four irregular comparatives are indispensable for articulating subjective judgments, expressing relative age, and indicating degrees of importance or magnitude. Their correct application is fundamental for sounding both natural and precise in Spanish.
Mejor (Better/Best): Use mejor to express superior quality, preference, or an improved condition. This applies across various contexts, from evaluating food to describing performance or feelings.
  • Quality/Preference: Esta marca de café es mejor que la que compramos antes. (This coffee brand is better than the one we bought before.) When you inquire about quality, you ask: ¿Cuál opción te parece mejor para el proyecto? (Which option seems better to you for the project?)
  • Improved State: For personal well-being, mejor is common: Después de descansar, me siento mucho mejor. (After resting, I feel much better.)
  • Adverbial Use: Mejor can also function as an adverb meaning "better," modifying a verb. Lo cocinaste mejor esta vez. (You cooked it better this time.)
Peor (Worse/Worst): Employ peor to convey inferior quality, an undesirable condition, or a decline. It indicates a negative comparison.
  • Quality/Condition: La situación económica está peor de lo que esperábamos. (The economic situation is worse than we expected.) If a product fails, you might state: La calidad del servicio ha sido peor este año. (The service quality has been worse this year.)
  • Declined State: Similar to mejor for improvement, peor signifies decline: Mi tos está peor esta mañana. (My cough is worse this morning.)
  • Adverbial Use: As an adverb, peor modifies verbs: Cantas peor cuando estás cansado. (You sing worse when you're tired.)
Mayor (Older/Greater/Main): This term primarily refers to age for people, but also denotes greater importance, magnitude, or seniority in abstract contexts.
  • Age (People): This is its most frequent use for individuals. Mi hermano mayor estudia medicina. (My older brother studies medicine.) For groups, you might hear: Los estudiantes mayores asistirán al seminario. (The older students will attend the seminar.)
  • Importance/Magnitude (Abstract): Mayor signifies something of greater significance or extent. La mayor parte del problema es la falta de comunicación. (The greater part of the problem is the lack of communication.) Here, mayor implies main or biggest in a non-physical sense.
  • Adult/Elderly: Personas mayores is a respectful term for older adults, reflecting a cultural emphasis on respecting elders in many Spanish-speaking societies.
Menor (Younger/Lesser/Minor): The opposite of mayor, menor primarily signifies youth for people, or lesser importance/magnitude in abstract situations.
  • Age (People): Mi hermana menor tiene solo cinco años. (My younger sister is only five years old.) You would also say: Los menores no pueden entrar sin un adulto. (Minors cannot enter without an adult.)
  • Insignificance/Magnitude (Abstract): Menor indicates something of less importance or a smaller degree. Es un asunto de menor importancia para la reunión. (It's a matter of lesser importance for the meeting.) You might describe a small risk as un riesgo menor.
  • Minimal Quantity (Formal): While más pequeño is generally for physical size, menor can sometimes refer to the smallest quantity or amount in more formal or administrative language, e.g., la cantidad menor aceptable (the minimum acceptable amount).

Common Mistakes

Learners frequently encounter specific pitfalls when employing these irregular comparatives. Recognizing and actively avoiding these errors is essential for refining your Spanish accuracy.
  • The más mejor or más peor Trap: This is perhaps the most widespread error among non-native speakers. The natural inclination to use más before any comparative adjective leads to ungrammatical constructions like más mejor or más peor, which are direct equivalents to the incorrect "more better" or "more worse" in English. Remember, mejor and peor are inherently comparative; they already contain the meaning of "more good" or "more bad." Therefore, más is redundant and incorrect. Always use mejor and peor directly. For example, instead of Esta película es más mejor que la otra, say Esta película es mejor que la otra. (This movie is better than the other one.)
  • Confusing mayor/menor with más grande/más pequeño: This distinction is critical and often misunderstood. Mayor and menor refer to age, rank, or abstract importance/magnitude. Más grande and más pequeño are exclusively for the physical size or dimension of objects. For instance:
  • For age: Mi abuelo es mayor que mi padre. (My grandfather is older than my father.)
  • For physical size: Mi coche es más grande que el tuyo. (My car is bigger than yours.) – You would not say Mi coche es mayor que el tuyo unless you literally meant it was older or more important.
  • For abstract importance: Es una decisión de mayor impacto. (It's a decision of greater impact.)
  • For physical size: Necesito una camisa más pequeña. (I need a smaller shirt.)
  • Forgetting Pluralization: While these irregular comparatives do not change for gender, they must agree in number with the noun they modify. A common oversight is using the singular form when a plural is required. If the noun is plural, the comparative form must also be plural. For example, Mis hermanos son mayor que yo is incorrect; the correct form is Mis hermanos son mayores que yo. (My brothers are older than me.) Similarly, Las mejores ofertas se encuentran en línea. (The best offers are found online.) requires mejores because ofertas is plural.
  • Misplacing the Article in Superlatives: When forming a superlative (e.g., "the best"), the definite article (el, la, los, las) must always precede the irregular comparative. Placing it elsewhere can result in an awkward or incorrect sentence structure. The standard structure is [Article] + [Irregular Form] + [Noun (optional)]. For instance, Es la película peor que vi is incorrect; the correct form is Es la peor película que vi. (It's the worst movie I've seen.)
  • Confusing Irregular Comparatives with Absolute Superlatives: Spanish uses the suffix -ísimo/-ísima to form absolute superlatives, which mean "very/extremely" (buenísimo - very good, malísimo - very bad). These forms intensify an adjective without making a direct comparison between two items. Therefore, Esta canción es buenísima que la otra is incorrect because buenísimo doesn't establish a comparison. For comparing, always use mejor or peor: Esta canción es mejor que la otra. (This song is better than the other one.)
  • Attempting Gender Agreement for mejor and peor: A frequent mistake is trying to make mejor or peor agree in gender, such as creating mejora or peora. These words are invariable for gender; they remain mejor and peor regardless of whether the noun they modify is masculine or feminine. Only their number changes. You'll use la mejor opción (the best option) and el mejor momento (the best moment) both with mejor.

Real Conversations

Understanding how native speakers naturally integrate mejor, peor, mayor, and menor into everyday conversation is key to mastering their usage. These irregular comparatives appear across various communication styles, from casual exchanges to more formal interactions, and even in digital communication.

Casual Dialogue:

- Evaluating experiences: ¿Qué te pareció el concierto? — Uff, la verdad, me pareció peor de lo que esperaba, el sonido estaba fatal. (What did you think of the concert? — Uff, honestly, it seemed worse than I expected, the sound was terrible.)

- Expressing preferences: De todas las opciones, el café de la mañana es mi mejor momento del día. (Of all the options, morning coffee is my best moment of the day.)

- Discussing age: ¿Tu hermano mayor ya se graduó de la universidad? (Did your older brother already graduate from university?)

Social Media / Texting:

- Quick opinions: ¡El nuevo álbum de mi banda favorita es lo mejor del año! #Música (My favorite band's new album is the best of the year! #Music). (Note: lo mejor is a neuter superlative meaning "the best thing.")

- Comparing possessions: Mi nueva laptop funciona mucho mejor que la anterior. ¡Estoy feliz! (My new laptop works much better than the previous one. I'm happy!)

- Sharing personal details: Con mi hermana menor en la playa. ¡Adoro pasar tiempo con ella! (With my younger sister at the beach. I love spending time with her!)

Professional/Academic Contexts:

- Analyzing data: Los datos del segundo trimestre son peores que los proyectados inicialmente. (The second quarter's data is worse than initially projected.)

- Highlighting achievements: La mayor parte de nuestro éxito se debe al trabajo en equipo. (The greater part of our success is due to teamwork.)

- Discussing priorities: Resolver este conflicto es de mayor urgencia para la empresa. (Resolving this conflict is of greater urgency for the company.)

C

Cultural Insight

In many Spanish-speaking cultures, particularly in Latin America, terms like hermano/a mayor (older brother/sister) or señor/a mayor (older gentleman/lady) convey not just chronological age but also a deeper sense of respect and seniority. This usage of mayor reflects a cultural value placed on age and experience, extending beyond mere time to imply wisdom, authority, or an esteemed position within a family or community structure. Conversely, calling someone menor can imply youth and less experience, sometimes requiring a more protective or guiding approach.

Quick FAQ

  • Can I ever use más bueno or más malo?
Generally, no, for comparative quality. However, in some regional Spanish dialects, predominantly in Latin America, más bueno can describe someone as very kind or even attractive, rather than meaning "better" in quality. For example, Él es más bueno que el pan. (He is kinder than bread.) But for comparing general quality (e.g., of a product or service), always use mejor.
Más malo is rarely used; peor is almost universally preferred for "worse."
  • Is mayor exclusively for age?
No. While mayor is most commonly used for human age (Mi tía mayor), it also refers to greater importance, magnitude, or seniority in abstract contexts. Consider examples like un problema mayor (a greater/major problem) or una preocupación mayor (a more significant concern).
For the physical size of inanimate objects, however, más grande is the correct choice.
  • Do mejor and peor change for gender?
No, mejor and peor are gender-neutral. They remain mejor and peor whether modifying masculine or feminine nouns. Their only variation is for number: mejor/mejores for singular/plural, and peor/peores for singular/plural.
  • What about menor? Does it have a gender?
Similar to mejor and peor, menor is gender-neutral. You use menor for both masculine and feminine nouns. For instance, mi primo menor (my younger cousin) and mi prima menor (my younger cousin). It only changes for number: menor/menores.
  • How do I form the superlative "the best" or "the worst"?
Simply add the appropriate definite article (el, la, los, las) before the irregular comparative: el mejor (the best, masc. sing.), la mejor (the best, fem. sing.), los mejores (the best, masc.
plural), las mejores (the best, fem. plural). The same rule applies to peor: el peor, la peor, los peores, las peores.
  • Can I use mejor as an adverb?
Yes, mejor frequently functions as an adverb, meaning "better," modifying a verb. For example, Ella habla español mejor ahora. (She speaks Spanish better now.) or Hoy me siento mejor que ayer. (Today I feel better than yesterday.)
  • How do these relate to tan... como (as... as)?
The tan... como structure expresses equality and typically uses the base adjective forms. You would say tan bueno como (as good as) or tan malo como (as bad as).
The irregular forms (mejor, peor) are specifically used when one entity is superior or inferior to another. For example, Tu coche es tan bueno como el mío. (Your car is as good as mine.) This shows equality, unlike Tu coche es mejor que el mío. (Your car is better than mine.)
  • What about superlativos absolutos like buenísimo or malísimo?
These are not comparative forms. Buenísimo means "very good" or "excellent," and malísimo means "very bad." They are absolute superlatives that intensify the adjective without establishing a direct comparison between two distinct items. For actual comparisons, you must use mejor or peor.

Irregular Comparative Forms

Base Comparative Meaning Plural Form
Bueno
Mejor
Better
Mejores
Malo
Peor
Worse
Peores
Grande (age)
Mayor
Older
Mayores
Pequeño (age)
Menor
Younger
Menores

Meanings

These four adjectives replace standard comparative structures when describing quality, skill, age, or rank.

1

Quality/Skill

Comparing the standard or performance of something.

“Esta comida es mejor.”

“Mi trabajo es peor que el tuyo.”

2

Age/Hierarchy

Comparing the age of people or the size/importance of things.

“Mi hermano mayor vive aquí.”

“Tengo un hermano menor.”

Reference Table

Reference table for Better and Worse: Irregular Comparisons (mejor, peor, mayor, menor)
Form Structure Example
Affirmative
Es mejor que...
Es mejor que el otro.
Negative
No es peor que...
No es peor que ayer.
Question
¿Es mayor que...?
¿Es mayor que tú?
Plural
Son mejores que...
Son mejores que los míos.
Intensified
Mucho mejor
Es mucho mejor.
Superlative
El/la mejor
Es la mejor de todas.

Formality Spectrum

Formal
Esta opción es mejor.

Esta opción es mejor. (Choosing an option)

Neutral
Esto es mejor.

Esto es mejor. (Choosing an option)

Informal
Esto está mejor.

Esto está mejor. (Choosing an option)

Slang
Esto está más guay.

Esto está más guay. (Choosing an option)

Irregular Comparison Map

Irregular Comparatives

Quality

  • Mejor Better
  • Peor Worse

Age/Rank

  • Mayor Older
  • Menor Younger

Comparison Logic

Regular
Más alto Taller
Irregular
Mayor Older
Sign up free to read full explanation

Examples by Level

1

Mi hermano es mayor.

My brother is older.

2

Esta pizza es mejor.

This pizza is better.

3

Él es menor que yo.

He is younger than me.

4

El clima es peor.

The weather is worse.

1

Tengo dos hermanos mayores.

I have two older brothers.

2

Este hotel es mucho mejor.

This hotel is much better.

3

Es el peor día de mi vida.

It is the worst day of my life.

4

Ella es la menor de la clase.

She is the youngest in the class.

1

La situación es peor de lo que pensaba.

The situation is worse than I thought.

2

Es mi mayor logro profesional.

It is my greatest professional achievement.

3

Prefiero el menor esfuerzo posible.

I prefer the least effort possible.

4

Son mejores amigos desde niños.

They have been best friends since childhood.

1

El riesgo es mayor en invierno.

The risk is greater in winter.

2

La calidad es mejor que la competencia.

The quality is better than the competition.

3

Es un mal menor para el proyecto.

It is a lesser evil for the project.

4

Los resultados fueron peores de lo esperado.

The results were worse than expected.

1

La mayor parte de los asistentes se fue.

The majority of the attendees left.

2

No hay mayor desprecio que no hacer aprecio.

There is no greater contempt than indifference.

3

Es el menor de mis problemas actuales.

It is the least of my current problems.

4

La mejor opción sería negociar.

The best option would be to negotiate.

1

Su mayor virtud es la paciencia.

His greatest virtue is patience.

2

El menor indicio de duda bastó.

The slightest hint of doubt was enough.

3

Es, a todas luces, la mejor solución.

It is, by all means, the best solution.

4

La peor de las suertes le acompañó.

The worst of luck accompanied him.

Easily Confused

Better and Worse: Irregular Comparisons (mejor, peor, mayor, menor) vs Más grande vs. Mayor

Learners use 'más grande' for age because it translates to 'bigger'.

Better and Worse: Irregular Comparisons (mejor, peor, mayor, menor) vs Más bueno vs. Mejor

Learners try to follow the 'más + adjective' rule.

Better and Worse: Irregular Comparisons (mejor, peor, mayor, menor) vs Más malo vs. Peor

Learners try to follow the 'más + adjective' rule.

Common Mistakes

✗

más mejor

✓

mejor

Redundant 'más'.
✗

más peor

✓

peor

Redundant 'más'.
✗

más grande (for age)

✓

mayor

Use mayor for age.
✗

más pequeño (for age)

✓

menor

Use menor for age.
✗

mejores (as adverb)

✓

mejor

Adverbs don't pluralize.
✗

más mayor

✓

mayor

Redundant 'más'.
✗

peores (as adverb)

✓

peor

Adverbs don't pluralize.
✗

la mayor parte de los libros son...

✓

la mayor parte de los libros es...

Agreement with 'parte'.
✗

él es el más mejor

✓

él es el mejor

Superlative doesn't need 'más'.
✗

es más menor

✓

es menor

Redundant 'más'.
✗

un menor de edad es...

✓

un menor es...

Contextual usage.
✗

la mejor de las opciones son...

✓

la mejor de las opciones es...

Agreement with 'mejor'.
✗

el peor de los casos son...

✓

el peor de los casos es...

Agreement with 'peor'.

Sentence Patterns

Mi ___ es ___ que el tuyo.

Es el ___ de la familia.

La situación es ___ de lo que pensaba.

No hay ___ problema que este.

Real World Usage

Ordering food very common

¿Cuál es mejor, la pizza o la pasta?

Job interview common

Mi mayor fortaleza es la paciencia.

Social media common

¡El mejor día de mi vida! #feliz

Texting constant

Es mejor que nos veamos mañana.

Travel common

Este hotel es mucho mejor que el anterior.

Academic common

La mayor parte de los datos es correcta.

Sign up free to see all examples
💡

Avoid 'más'

Never use 'más' with these four words. They already mean 'more'.
⚠️

Size vs Age

Use 'mayor' for age, not 'más grande'. 'Más grande' is only for physical size.
🎯

Pluralization

Remember that 'mayor' and 'menor' can become 'mayores' and 'menores' when the subject is plural.
💬

Natural Sounding

Native speakers use these constantly. Practice them until they feel automatic.

Smart Tips

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

Esta película es más buena. → Esta película es mejor.

Use 'mayor' or 'menor' instead of 'más grande' or 'más pequeño'.

Mi hermano es más pequeño. → Mi hermano es menor.

Use 'mucho' before the irregular comparative.

Es más mejor. → Es mucho mejor.

Remember to add '-es' to 'mayor' and 'menor'.

Mis hermano son mayor. → Mis hermanos son mayores.

Pronunciation

me-JOR, pe-OR

Stress

The stress is on the last syllable for 'mejor' and 'peor'.

ma-YOR

Vowel clarity

Ensure the 'o' is clear and not diphthongized.

Comparative rise

Es mejor ↗ que el otro ↘.

Rising on the comparative, falling on the object.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Mejor and Peor are for quality; Mayor and Menor are for age.

Visual Association

Imagine a scale. On the left, a 'Good' apple turning into a 'Better' (Mejor) golden apple. On the right, a child growing into an 'Older' (Mayor) person.

Rhyme

Si la calidad es lo que quieres ver, usa mejor o peor para saber.

Story

My older brother (mayor) is better (mejor) at soccer than me. But my younger brother (menor) is worse (peor) at math. We all have our strengths.

Word Web

MejorPeorMayorMenorQueMuchoMás

Challenge

Write 4 sentences comparing your family members using these 4 words.

Cultural Notes

In Spain, 'mayor' is very commonly used for age, while 'más grande' is reserved for physical size.

Mexicans often use 'más grande' for age in very informal speech, though 'mayor' is still preferred.

Argentines use these forms strictly in formal and informal settings.

These words come directly from Latin comparatives: 'melior' (better), 'peior' (worse), 'maior' (greater), and 'minor' (lesser).

Conversation Starters

“

¿Quién es mayor, tú o tu hermano?

“

¿Qué película es mejor, la primera o la segunda?

“

¿Cuál es el peor hábito que tienes?

“

¿Crees que la situación económica es peor ahora?

Journal Prompts

Describe your family members using 'mayor' and 'menor'.
Compare your two favorite restaurants using 'mejor' and 'peor'.
Write about a professional challenge and how you handled it.
Discuss the pros and cons of living in a big city.

Common Mistakes

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Sign up free to see all tips

Test Yourself

Fill in the blank with the correct comparative.

Este libro es ___ que la película.

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

Which is correct?

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

Find and fix the mistake:

Es más peor que ayer.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Es peor que ayer.
Remove 'más'.
Transform the sentence. Sentence Transformation

Change 'Es muy bueno' to comparative.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Es mejor.
Irregular form.
Is this true? True False Rule

'Mayor' can be pluralized.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: True
Mayores is the plural.
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.
Reorder the words. Sentence Building

que / yo / es / mayor / él

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Él es mayor que yo.
Correct structure.
Pluralize the sentence. Conjugation Drill

Él es menor. (Plural)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ellos son menores.
Menores is the plural.

Score: /8

Practice Exercises

8 exercises
Fill in the blank with the correct comparative.

Este libro es ___ que la película.

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

Which is correct?

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

Find and fix the mistake:

Es más peor que ayer.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Es peor que ayer.
Remove 'más'.
Transform the sentence. Sentence Transformation

Change 'Es muy bueno' to comparative.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Es mejor.
Irregular form.
Is this true? True False Rule

'Mayor' can be pluralized.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: True
Mayores is the plural.
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.
Reorder the words. Sentence Building

que / yo / es / mayor / él

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Él es mayor que yo.
Correct structure.
Pluralize the sentence. Conjugation Drill

Él es menor. (Plural)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ellos son menores.
Menores is the plural.

Score: /8

Practice Bank

10 exercises
Translate to Spanish Translation

They are the best students.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ellos son los mejores estudiantes.
Select the correct superlative form. Multiple Choice

Es el ___ (worst) día de mi vida.

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

que / Mi / es / gato / mejor / el / tuyo

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Mi gato es mejor que el tuyo
Match the adjective with its irregular comparative. Match Pairs

Match the pairs:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Bueno - Mejor
Complete the sentence with the plural form. Fill in the Blank

Estas canciones son ___ (worse) que las de antes.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: peores
Fix the age comparison. Error Correction

Juan tiene 10 años y Pedro tiene 8. Juan es menor que Pedro.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Juan es mayor que Pedro.
Choose the best superlative. Fill in the Blank

Para mí, Messi es ___ (the best) jugador.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: el mejor
Which refers to physical size? Multiple Choice

Select the sentence comparing physical size:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Mi perro es más grande que el tuyo.
Translate: 'I have two younger brothers.' Translation

I have two younger brothers.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Tengo dos hermanos menores.
Complete the Zoom interview scenario. Fill in the Blank

Mi ___ (greatest) reto fue aprender español.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: mayor

Score: /10

FAQ (8)

No, never. It is a common mistake. Just use 'mejor'.

No, it can be used for things like 'la mayor parte' (the greater part).

Use 'mucho mejor'.

No, 'mejor' is the same for masculine and feminine.

Use it for physical size, like a big house.

They are neutral and used in all registers.

Yes, 'Él canta peor que yo' (He sings worse than me).

It comes from the Latin 'maior', meaning greater in age or rank.

Scaffolded Practice

1

1

2

2

3

3

4

4

Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

Sign up free to practice

In Other Languages

French high

meilleur/pire

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

German moderate

besser/schlechter

German has more regular comparatives than Spanish.

Japanese low

yori yoi

Japanese grammar is agglutinative, not based on irregular adjective forms.

Arabic moderate

afdal/aswa

Arabic comparatives follow a strict morphological pattern.

Chinese low

gèng hǎo

Chinese has no irregular comparative adjectives.

Spanish high

mejor/peor

The irregular forms are the only way to express these comparisons.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Previous
Less Than (Menos... que): Making Comparisons
Next
Irregular Comparatives: Better (mejor)

Learn These First

A2 Builds On

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

Overview In Spanish, expressing comparison isn't always a simple matter of adding `más` (more) or `menos` (less). Just a...
A2 Builds On

Spanish Superlatives: The Best of the Best (el más... de)

Overview Mastering the Spanish superlative `el/la/los/las + más/menos + [adjective] + de + [group]` is fundamental for e...

Related Videos

A NEW RUBIUS 09:49

A NEW RUBIUS
SEARCHING PEOPLE WITH TALENT IN CHATROULETTE 08:48

SEARCHING PEOPLE WITH TALENT IN CHATROULETTE

Related Grammar Rules

A2

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

Overview In Spanish, expressing comparison isn't always a simple matter of adding `más` (more) or `menos` (less). Just a...
B2

Spanish Adverbs: Using the '-mente' Suffix

Ever felt like your Spanish is a bit... dry? Like you’re just stacking building blocks instead of painting a picture? Yo...
A2

Spanish Equality: Being 'As... As' (Tan... como)

Overview When expressing that two entities possess an equal degree of a quality or perform an action with the same inten...
A2

Spanish Superlatives: The Best of the Best (el más... de)

Overview Mastering the Spanish superlative `el/la/los/las + más/menos + [adjective] + de + [group]` is fundamental for e...
A1

Matching Adjectives: Gender Agreement (-o/-a)

Ever noticed how Spanish seems to have a bit of a gender obsession? You’re scrolling through a menu and see `pollo frito...
Was this helpful?

Comments (0)

Login to Comment
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!