Usamos el comparativo para contrastar dos personas, cosas o lugares, normalmente con than: My sister is taller than me. Para destacar a alguien o algo frente al resto de un grupo, usamos el superlativo, normalmente con the: She is the tallest person in our family.
Los adjetivos cortos suelen añadir -er para el comparativo y -est para el superlativo (cheap, cheaper, the cheapest). Los adjetivos más largos suelen combinarse con more y the most (more expensive, the most expensive). Hay cambios ortográficos y formas irregulares, como good, better, the best y bad, worse, the worst. No se añade more o most a una forma que ya es comparativa o superlativa.
Cómo formar comparativos y superlativos
Cuenta las sílabas. Los adjetivos de una sílaba suelen añadir -er y -est. La mayoría de los adjetivos de dos o más sílabas usan more y most, excepto muchos acabados en -y, que cambian la y por i y añaden -er y -est.
| Tipo de adjetivo | Estructura | Ejemplo en inglés |
|---|---|---|
| Una sílaba | adjetivo + -er; the + adjetivo + -est | cheap → cheaper → the cheapest; tall → taller → the tallest |
| Una sílaba, terminado en -e | añadir -r; the + adjetivo + -st | nice → nicer → the nicest; safe → safer → the safest |
| Una sílaba, vocal + consonante final | duplicar la consonante final + -er / -est | big → bigger → the biggest; hot → hotter → the hottest |
| Terminado en consonante + -y | cambiar y por i + -er / -est | easy → easier → the easiest; happy → happier → the happiest |
| Dos sílabas o más | more + adjetivo; the most + adjetivo | modern → more modern → the most modern; expensive → more expensive → the most expensive |
| Formas irregulares | formas especiales que hay que aprender | good → better → the best; bad → worse → the worst; far → farther/further → the farthest/furthest |
- Ortografía: duplica la consonante final solo en ciertos adjetivos de una sílaba terminados en vocal + consonante (thin → thinner; sad → the saddest). No la dupliques después de dos vocales ni con w (cheap → cheaper; new → newer). Cambia consonante + y por i (busy → busier; early → the earliest).
- Algunos adjetivos de dos sílabas admiten ambas formas: quiet → quieter / more quiet; narrow → narrower / more narrow; friendly → friendlier / more friendly.
- Los adjetivos terminados en -ed usan more y most, aunque sean cortos: more tired, the most bored.
- Far tiene dos formas para la distancia: farther y further. En inglés estadounidense suele preferirse farther. Solo further puede significar «más» o «adicional»: Do you need any further help?
- Los adverbios siguen patrones parecidos: fast → faster; hard → harder; carefully → more carefully; well → better; badly → worse.
- Pronunciación: than suele llevar poco énfasis: taller than me.
Cuándo se usa
1. Comparar dos personas o cosas (comparativo + than)
Usa el comparativo seguido de than para señalar una diferencia entre dos personas, cosas o lugares. Si la comparación está clara, se puede omitir than y la segunda parte.
- My brother is three years older than me.
- The train is faster than the bus, but it's more expensive.
- I liked the second hotel. It was cleaner and more comfortable.
2. Destacar algo dentro de un grupo (the + superlativo)
Usa the + superlativo para comparar a una persona o cosa con todo el grupo. El grupo suele introducirse con in u of. Lo contrario de the most es the least.
- This is the oldest building in our town.
- It was the worst meal I've ever had.
- What's the least expensive way to get downtown?
3. Expresar igualdad (as … as)
Usa as + adjetivo + as para decir que dos personas o cosas tienen el mismo grado de una cualidad. El adjetivo conserva su forma básica.
- My son is almost as tall as me now.
- The second movie was just as good as the first one.
- Is the subway as crowded as the bus?
4. Expresar un grado menor (not as … as)
Usa not as … as para decir que algo tiene menos de una cualidad que otra cosa. También se puede usar less + adjetivo + than, sobre todo con adjetivos largos.
- This hotel isn't as nice as the one we stayed in last year.
- My new job isn't as stressful as my old one.
- The second exam was less difficult than the first.
5. Diferencias grandes y pequeñas (much, a lot, a bit)
Para marcar una diferencia grande, coloca much, a lot o far antes del comparativo. Para una diferencia pequeña, usa a bit, a little o slightly. No uses very con comparativos.
- The new phone is much faster than the old one.
- It's a lot colder today than yesterday.
- Could you speak a bit more slowly, please?
Palabras y expresiones frecuentes
- than
- as ... as
- not as ... as
- much
- a lot
- far
- a bit
- a little
- slightly
- even
- by far
- the ... in
- the ... of
- ever
Much, a lot, far, a bit, a little, slightly y even preceden a los comparativos (much cheaper, even worse). By far refuerza un superlativo (by far the best). Ever suele aparecer con el presente perfecto y un superlativo (the best book I've ever read).
Ejemplos en inglés
Afirmativas
- Our new neighbors are friendlier than the old ones.
- Your English is much better than it was last year.
- My grandmother is the funniest person in our family.
- This is the most beautiful beach I've ever seen.
Negativas
- The exam wasn't as hard as I expected.
- My apartment isn't as big as yours, but it's much cheaper.
- This isn't the fastest way to the airport, but it's the easiest.
- The new version isn't any better than the old one.
Preguntas
- Which is more expensive, the blue jacket or the black one?
- Who is the tallest person in your family?
- Is your new job as interesting as your old one?
- What's the best way to learn new words?
¿Comparativo o superlativo?
Usa el comparativo para contrastar dos personas o cosas; normalmente va seguido de than. Usa el superlativo para situar algo en el extremo superior o inferior de un grupo; suele llevar the y aparecer con in u of. Como pista rápida, than acompaña al comparativo y the al superlativo.
| Comparativo | Superlativo |
|---|---|
| Ana is taller than Ben. (two people) | Ana is the tallest student in the class. (the whole class) |
| This phone is cheaper than that one. (two phones) | This is the cheapest phone in the store. (all the phones in the store) |
| Monday was busier than Tuesday. (two days) | Monday was the busiest day of the week. (all seven days) |
| Tom's cooking is worse than mine. (two people) | Tom is the worst cook in our family. (everyone in the family) |
Errores frecuentes
- IncorrectoHer new job is more better than her old one.CorrectoHer new job is better than her old one.
Better ya es un comparativo; no se le añade more.
- IncorrectoHe is the most tallest player on the team.CorrectoHe is the tallest player on the team.
Para formar el superlativo, se usa -est o most, nunca ambos a la vez.
- IncorrectoYour car is newer that mine.CorrectoYour car is newer than mine.
Después de un comparativo se usa than («que»), no that.
- IncorrectoThis is the more beautiful city I've ever visited.CorrectoThis is the most beautiful city I've ever visited.
Para destacar algo frente a todo un grupo, se usa el superlativo the most, no el comparativo more.
- IncorrectoToday is very hotter than yesterday.CorrectoToday is much hotter than yesterday.
Very no acompaña a los comparativos; para marcar una diferencia grande se usa much, a lot o far.
- IncorrectoMy phone is as expensive than yours.CorrectoMy phone is as expensive as yours.
La estructura de igualdad es as + adjetivo + as. Than se usa con comparativos.
Choosing an apartment
El texto y las formas resaltadas están en inglés.
Last month, my wife and I looked at three apartments. The first one was the cheapest, but it was also the smallest, and the kitchen was darker than a cave. The second apartment was bigger and much brighter than the first, but it was farther from the city center, so the trip to work was longer. The third one was the most expensive of the three. However, it was in the nicest neighborhood, and it was as quiet as a library. In the end, we chose the second apartment. It isn't as modern as the third one, but it's more comfortable than our old home, and the view is the best we've ever had.
Comprueba lo que has aprendido
Las preguntas y opciones están en inglés; las explicaciones están en español.
Preguntas frecuentes
¿Qué son los comparativos y los superlativos?
Son formas de adjetivos y adverbios que sirven para comparar. El comparativo contrasta dos elementos (cheaper, more expensive); el superlativo indica que uno ocupa el grado máximo o mínimo dentro de un grupo (the cheapest, the most expensive).
¿Cuándo se usa -er y cuándo more?
Usa -er y -est con adjetivos de una sílaba (fast, faster, the fastest) y con muchos adjetivos de dos sílabas terminados en -y (happy, happier, the happiest). La mayoría de los demás adjetivos de dos o más sílabas usan more y most (famous, more famous, the most famous).
¿Se dice taller than me o taller than I?
En el inglés cotidiano, taller than me es normal y correcto. Taller than I am también es correcto y algo más formal; taller than I sin verbo suena muy formal.
¿Cuál es la diferencia entre farther y further?
Ambas formas pueden referirse a distancia. En inglés estadounidense suele preferirse farther para la distancia; further también puede significar «más» o «adicional».
¿Se puede decir more better o most best?
No. Better y best ya son las formas comparativa y superlativa de good; no se añade more ni most. Lo mismo ocurre con worse y worst, formas de bad.