Learn key irregular comparatives in Spanish like mejor (better), peor (worse), mayor (older/bigger), and menor (younger/smaller), which compare quality, age, and size without "más" or "menos".
- Mejor and peor compare quality.
- Mayor and menor indicate size or age.
- They do not need "más" and "menos" before the adjective.
| Adjetivo (Adjective) | Comparativo (Comparative) | Ejemplo (Example) |
|---|---|---|
| Bien | Mejor | El servicio del hotel es mejor que antes. (The hotel service is better than before.) |
| Mal | Peor | Este desayuno es peor que el de ayer. (This breakfast is worse than yesterday's.) |
| Viejo | Mayor | Cuando estás mayor, podemos ir juntos de vacaciones. (When you are older, we can go on holiday together.) |
| Joven | Menor | Cuando eres menor, no puedes viajar solo. (When you are minor, you cannot travel alone.) |
Exercise 1: Los comparativos irregulares: Mejor, Peor, Mayor, Menor
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
mayor, menor, mejor, peor
1.
Mal: La habitación es ... que la que reservamos.
(The room is worse than the one we booked.)
2.
Joven: Porque eres ... que yo, tienes el descuento.
(Young person: Because you are younger than me, you get the discount.)
3.
Joven: El recepcionista es ... que en otros hoteles.
(Young man: The receptionist is better than in other hotels.)
4.
Bien: El hotel tiene un servicio ... que el anterior.
(Okay: The hotel has better service than the previous one.)
5.
Bien: La habitación es ... que la que reservamos el año pasado.
(Okay: The room is better than the one we booked last year.)
6.
Viejo: Mi hermano es ... que yo, así que no tiene descuentos.
(Older: My brother is older than me, so he doesn't get any discounts.)
7.
Bien: El alojamiento con desayuno incluido es ... que sin él.
(Good: Accommodation with breakfast included is better than without it.)
8.
Bien: El desayuno de este hotel es ... que el de ayer.
(Good: The breakfast at this hotel is better than yesterday's.)
Exercise 2: Multiple Choice
Instruction: Select the correct sentence that properly uses the irregular comparatives: better, worse, older, younger. Remember that they do not take 'more' or 'less' before the adjective, and that 'better' and 'worse' compare quality, while 'older' and 'younger' indicate size or age.
1.
'Better' is an irregular comparative and should not have 'more' in front of it.
'Worse' indicates quality but with a negative sense; here it is meant to express that the service is better.
2.
'Worse' does not need 'more' in front, it's a common mistake.
Incorrect order and improper use of 'more' in front of 'worse'.
3.
'Older' should not have 'more' in front, it is an irregular comparative.
Incomplete sentence and incorrect use of 'older' without a comparative complement.
4.
'Smaller' should not have 'more' in front, it is an irregular comparative.
In this context, 'smaller than' is incorrect without an explicit comparison.