How to Form Comparatives in Portuguese

Introduction

Mastering comparatives is essential for expressing preferences, making distinctions, and describing relationships between people, places, and things in Portuguese. Whether you want to say that one city is bigger than another, that someone is as tall as their sibling, or that something is the most beautiful you’ve ever seen, understanding comparative structures will dramatically improve your conversational skills and written expression.

Understanding the Basics of Portuguese Comparatives

Comparatives in Portuguese allow speakers to establish relationships between two or more elements. Unlike English, which often adds suffixes like -er to adjectives, Portuguese uses specific words and structures to create comparisons. The three main types of comparatives are superiority (more than), inferiority (less than), and equality (as much as).

The foundation of Portuguese comparatives rests on understanding how adjectives and adverbs interact with comparative markers. These structures follow consistent patterns that, once learned, can be applied across countless situations. Brazilian Portuguese maintains these patterns with remarkable consistency, making them easier to master than you might initially expect.

Comparatives of Superiority: Expressing More Than

The comparative of superiority indicates that one element possesses a quality to a greater degree than another. The basic structure uses mais (more) followed by an adjective or adverb, then do que or que (than).

Basic Structure and Formation

The most common pattern follows this formula: mais + adjective + do que or que. For example:
Meu apartamento é mais grande do que o seu.
(My apartment is bigger than yours.)

Brazilian Portuguese speakers frequently use both do que and que interchangeably in informal conversation, though do que is considered more formal and complete. You’ll hear both versions regularly in everyday speech, so recognizing both forms will enhance your comprehension.

When comparing actions or verbs, the structure remains similar:
Ela trabalha mais do que eu.
(She works more than I do.)

Using Mais with Nouns

You can also use mais with nouns to indicate greater quantity:
Ele tem mais dinheiro do que tempo.
(He has more money than time.)

Notice how mais directly precedes the noun being compared. This structure is particularly useful when discussing amounts, quantities, or countable items in daily conversation.

Irregular Comparatives of Superiority

Portuguese has several irregular comparative forms that don’t use mais. The most important one is melhor (better), which replaces mais bom:
Este restaurante é melhor do que aquele.
(This restaurant is better than that one.)

While you might occasionally hear mais bom in very informal speech, melhor is the correct and widely accepted form. Using melhor instead of mais bom will make your Portuguese sound much more natural and fluent.

Another crucial irregular form is maior (bigger, older, greater):
São Paulo é maior do que Curitiba.
(São Paulo is bigger than Curitiba.)

The word maior serves double duty in Portuguese, referring to both physical size and age when discussing people. Context makes the meaning clear in conversation.

Comparatives of Inferiority: Expressing Less Than

Comparatives of inferiority indicate that one element possesses a quality to a lesser degree than another. This structure uses menos (less) followed by an adjective or adverb, then do que or que.

Formation and Common Usage

The pattern mirrors the superiority structure: menos + adjective + do que or que:
Esta casa é menos cara do que aquela.
(This house is less expensive than that one.)

In practice, Portuguese speakers use this structure less frequently than the superiority comparative. Often, they prefer to reverse the comparison using mais rather than using menos, though both are perfectly correct.

Menos with Verbs and Nouns

Like mais, the word menos works with verbs and nouns:
Eu como menos do que minha irmã.
(I eat less than my sister.)

With nouns indicating quantity:
Temos menos tempo do que pensávamos.
(We have less time than we thought.)

The Irregular Form Menor

The adjective pequeno (small) has an irregular comparative form: menor (smaller, younger):
Meu quarto é menor do que o seu.
(My room is smaller than yours.)

Similar to maior, the word menor can refer to both physical size and age. When discussing siblings, menor indicates younger age rather than physical stature.

Another important irregular form is pior (worse), which replaces menos bom:
O trânsito hoje está pior do que ontem.
(The traffic today is worse than yesterday.)

Comparatives of Equality: Expressing As Much As

Comparatives of equality indicate that two elements possess a quality to the same degree. Portuguese uses different structures depending on whether you’re comparing qualities, quantities, or actions.

Tão…Quanto and Tão…Como

When comparing qualities (adjectives and adverbs), use tão (as, so) before the adjective or adverb, followed by quanto or como (as):
Ela é tão inteligente quanto o irmão.
(She is as intelligent as her brother.)

Both quanto and como are acceptable, though quanto is slightly more common in Brazilian Portuguese. You’ll encounter both forms regularly in conversation and written text.

Additional examples with adverbs:
Ele corre tão rápido quanto você.
(He runs as fast as you.)

Tanto…Quanto and Tanto…Como

When comparing quantities (nouns and verbs), use tanto or its inflected forms (tanta, tantos, tantas) followed by quanto or como:

With nouns, tanto must agree in gender and number:
Ele tem tantos livros quanto eu.
(He has as many books as I do.)

She has tanta paciência quanto uma professora.
(She has as much patience as a teacher.)

With verbs, use the invariable form tanto:
Eu estudo tanto quanto você.
(I study as much as you.)

Special Cases and Variations

When the comparison involves negative qualities or situations, Portuguese speakers sometimes use tão…que to emphasize the degree:
O filme foi tão chato que saímos no meio.
(The movie was so boring that we left in the middle.)

This construction, while not strictly a comparative of equality, shows how tão functions in expressing degree and comparison throughout Portuguese grammar.

Superlatives: The Most and The Least

While not technically comparatives, superlatives are closely related and essential for complete mastery of comparison structures. Superlatives indicate the highest or lowest degree of a quality within a group.

Relative Superlatives

Relative superlatives compare one element against a group. The structure uses the definite article + mais or menos + adjective:

O mais bonito:
Este é o bairro mais bonito da cidade.
(This is the most beautiful neighborhood in the city.)

O menos comum:
Português é a língua menos falada neste país.
(Portuguese is the least spoken language in this country.)

Irregular Superlatives

The irregular comparatives maintain their forms in superlative constructions:
Este é o melhor restaurante da região.
(This is the best restaurant in the region.)

Ela é a maior cidade do estado.
(It is the biggest city in the state.)

Absolute Superlatives

Absolute superlatives express an extreme degree without direct comparison. Portuguese typically adds -íssimo/-íssima/-íssimos/-íssimas to the adjective stem:
A praia estava lindíssima.
(The beach was extremely beautiful.)

Other examples:
O apartamento é caríssimo.
(The apartment is very expensive.)
As crianças estavam felicíssimas.
(The children were very happy.)

Practical Applications in Daily Conversation

Understanding comparative structures becomes truly valuable when applied to real-life situations. Brazilian Portuguese speakers use comparatives constantly in everyday conversations, from discussing preferences to making decisions.

Shopping and Making Choices

When shopping, comparatives help you evaluate options and express preferences:
Esta camisa é mais barata do que aquela?
(Is this shirt cheaper than that one?)

Prefiro este modelo porque é tão bonito quanto o outro, mas mais confortável.
(I prefer this model because it’s as beautiful as the other one, but more comfortable.)

Describing People and Personalities

Comparatives naturally arise when discussing people:
Minha avó é mais paciente do que qualquer pessoa que conheço.
(My grandmother is more patient than anyone I know.)

Ele é tão engraçado quanto simpático.
(He is as funny as he is friendly.)

Discussing Places and Travel

Travel conversations frequently employ comparative structures:
O Rio de Janeiro é mais quente do que São Paulo.
(Rio de Janeiro is hotter than São Paulo.)

As praias do nordeste são tão bonitas quanto as do sul.
(The beaches of the northeast are as beautiful as those of the south.)

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even advanced learners sometimes struggle with certain aspects of Portuguese comparatives. Recognizing these common pitfalls will help you avoid them in your own speech and writing.

Using Mais Bom Instead of Melhor

One of the most frequent errors is saying mais bom instead of the correct irregular form melhor. While some informal speakers might use mais bom, standard Portuguese requires melhor for better and pior for worse.

Incorrect: Este vinho é mais bom.
Correct: Este vinho é melhor.

Forgetting Agreement with Tanto

When using tanto with nouns, remember that it must agree in gender and number:
Incorrect: Ela tem tanto amigas.
Correct: Ela tem tantas amigas.

Confusing Do Que and De

Some learners mistakenly use de instead of do que in comparisons. While de appears in superlative constructions (o mais alto de todos), comparative structures require do que or que:
Incorrect: Ele é mais alto de mim.
Correct: Ele é mais alto do que eu.

Misplacing the Comparative Marker

The word mais or menos must directly precede the adjective being compared:
Incorrect: Ela é inteligente mais do que ele.
Correct: Ela é mais inteligente do que ele.

Advanced Comparative Structures

Once you’ve mastered basic comparatives, several advanced structures will add sophistication and nuance to your Portuguese.

Progressive Comparatives

To express a progressive increase or decrease, Portuguese uses double comparatives:
Está ficando cada vez mais difícil encontrar apartamento.
(It’s getting harder and harder to find an apartment.)

O trânsito está cada vez pior.
(The traffic is getting worse and worse.)

Correlative Comparatives

These structures show how one change affects another, using quanto mais…mais (the more…the more) or quanto menos…menos (the less…the less):
Quanto mais estudo, mais aprendo.
(The more I study, the more I learn.)

Quanto menos durmo, menos produtivo fico.
(The less I sleep, the less productive I become.)

Emphatic Comparisons

Portuguese speakers often emphasize comparisons using words like muito (much), bem (well, quite), or ainda (even, still):
Este livro é muito mais interessante do que aquele.
(This book is much more interesting than that one.)

Ela é bem mais experiente do que parece.
(She is quite more experienced than she seems.)

Regional Variations and Cultural Notes

While this article focuses on Brazilian Portuguese, understanding regional variations enriches your comprehension and cultural awareness.

Brazilian Portuguese Preferences

Brazilian speakers show certain preferences in comparative usage. They commonly use que alone rather than do que in casual conversation, especially in rapid speech. Additionally, Brazilians frequently employ augmentative and diminutive suffixes alongside comparatives for added emotion or emphasis.

The use of absolute superlatives with -íssimo is particularly popular in Brazilian Portuguese, sometimes appearing in creative or humorous combinations that you won’t find in dictionaries.

Comparing Formality Levels

Formal writing and academic Portuguese tend to favor do que over que and avoid colloquial emphatic structures. Professional contexts require more precise comparative language and complete grammatical structures.

Informal conversation, however, allows for abbreviated forms, emotional emphasis, and creative language use that makes Brazilian Portuguese particularly expressive and dynamic.

Practice Strategies for Mastery

Developing fluency with comparatives requires consistent practice and exposure. Several strategies can accelerate your learning and help internalize these structures.

Active Listening and Pattern Recognition

Pay attention to comparative structures in Brazilian music, television shows, and movies. Notice how native speakers naturally incorporate comparatives into everyday speech. Try to identify whether they’re using superiority, inferiority, or equality comparatives.

Brazilian telenovelas provide excellent exposure to conversational Portuguese, including frequent use of comparative structures in dramatic and everyday contexts.

Descriptive Practice

Practice comparing objects, people, and experiences in your daily life. Describe your morning coffee as mais forte do que yesterday’s, your commute as tão demorado quanto usual, or your lunch as melhor do que you expected.

This mental practice reinforces structures and prepares you for real conversations where comparatives arise naturally.

Writing Exercises

Write short paragraphs comparing two cities you’ve visited, two movies you’ve watched, or two friends you know. Focus on using different comparative structures within the same text to build versatility.

Challenge yourself to include at least one irregular form (melhor, pior, maior, menor) in each practice session to reinforce these important exceptions.

Conversation Partners

Engage language exchange partners or tutors in discussions that naturally elicit comparatives. Ask them about preferences, differences between regions, or comparisons between past and present situations.

Request feedback specifically on your comparative usage, as these structures are fundamental enough that partners can easily identify and correct mistakes.

Integrating Comparatives with Other Grammar

Comparatives don’t exist in isolation. Understanding how they interact with other grammatical elements creates more sophisticated and natural Portuguese expression.

Comparatives with Verb Tenses

Comparatives work seamlessly with all verb tenses:
Present: Ela é mais rápida do que eu.
Past: Ela foi mais rápida do que eu.
Future: Ela será mais rápida do que eu.

This consistency makes comparatives relatively straightforward to use across different temporal contexts.

Comparatives with Pronouns

When comparatives involve pronouns, Brazilian Portuguese typically uses subject pronouns after do que:
Você é mais alto do que eu.
(You are taller than I am.)

In formal writing, you might occasionally see constructions like mais alto do que mim, but mais alto do que eu is standard and widely accepted.

Comparatives in Questions

Comparative structures naturally appear in questions:
Qual cidade é mais bonita, Rio ou Salvador?
(Which city is more beautiful, Rio or Salvador?)

Você acha que ele é tão competente quanto ela?
(Do you think he is as competent as she is?)

Building Vocabulary Around Comparatives

Expanding your adjective and adverb vocabulary directly enhances your ability to make nuanced comparisons. Focus on learning adjectives in related groups to facilitate natural comparative usage.

Essential Adjectives for Comparison

Physical descriptions: alto/baixo (tall/short), grande/pequeno (big/small), gordo/magro (fat/thin), forte/fraco (strong/weak)

Qualities: inteligente (intelligent), simpático (friendly), paciente (patient), cuidadoso (careful), criativo (creative)

Evaluations: bom/mau (good/bad), fácil/difícil (easy/difficult), caro/barato (expensive/cheap), rápido/lento (fast/slow)

Common Adverbs

Manner: bem/mal (well/badly), devagar/rápido (slowly/quickly), cuidadosamente (carefully), facilmente (easily)

Frequency: frequentemente (frequently), raramente (rarely), sempre (always), nunca (never)

Quantity Expressions

Learning expressions of quantity enhances your ability to use mais and menos effectively: muito (much, many), pouco (little, few), bastante (quite a bit), demais (too much), suficiente (enough)

Cultural Contexts for Comparatives

Understanding when and how Brazilians use comparatives reveals cultural attitudes and communication styles that go beyond grammar.

Politeness and Indirectness

Brazilians often use comparatives to soften criticism or make suggestions indirectly. Saying something is menos ideal (less ideal) sounds gentler than calling it bad. This indirect communication style reflects Brazilian cultural values around maintaining harmony and avoiding direct confrontation.

Enthusiasm and Exaggeration

Brazilian Portuguese speakers frequently use superlatives and emphatic comparatives to express enthusiasm. Describing something as muito mais incrível (much more incredible) or using absolute superlatives like lindíssimo conveys emotional engagement that’s culturally valued.

This expressive use of comparatives reflects Brazilian warmth and emotional openness in communication.

Comparisons in Brazilian Humor

Brazilian humor often employs creative or exaggerated comparatives. Understanding these playful uses helps you appreciate Brazilian comedy and participate more fully in casual conversations.

Comparative expressions sometimes appear in Brazilian expressions and sayings, adding cultural depth to your language learning journey.

Conclusion

Mastering comparatives in Portuguese opens doors to more sophisticated expression and deeper conversations. From basic structures using mais, menos, and tão to irregular forms like melhor and maior, these grammatical tools allow you to express preferences, make distinctions, and describe relationships with precision and nuance. Regular practice through listening, speaking, reading, and writing will help these structures become second nature, enabling you to communicate more effectively and naturally in Brazilian Portuguese.