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P o r t u g u e s e O n l i n e

>>Adjectives >  Comparatives and Superlatives

Comparative and superlative adjectives focus on the relation of one noun to another. Unlike English adjectives, which have special comparative (the -er of bigger) and superlative (the -est of biggest) endings, Portuguese adjectives do not have special forms. They are still modified to reflect the noun as seen in the section on forming adjectives.

A comparative phrase in Portuguese is relatively simple to form. The adjective still reflects the compared noun's number and gender, but it is set into a special phrase. Tão + adjective + como translates to as ___ as, while mais + adjective + (do) que means ___-er than.

Roberto é mais alto do que João or Roberto é mais alto que João Robert is taller than John (where alto tall matches the masculine singular Roberto).
Ana é tão alta como João Anna is as tall as John (where alta tall matches the feminine singular Ana).

A superlative phrase also relies on the word mais more. Again, the adjective must reflect the noun's number and gender. You will then use the appropriate definite article (the) to show that this noun is the most ___:

Roberto é o mais grande Robert is the biggest (where o the and alto tall match the masculine singular Roberto).
Ana é a mais alta Anna is the tallest (where a the and alta tall match the feminine singular Ana).
Esses homens são os mais altos those men are the tallest (where os the and altos tall match the masculine plural homens).

Another way of stating that one noun really exemplifies a quality without having to compare it is to use the word muito very or to tack on the ending -íssimo. Remember that -íssimo is still a variable four-form adjective ending (-íssimo, -íssima, -íssimos, -íssimas):

Ana é muito alta Anna is very tall
Ana é altíssima Anna is so tall!
Roberto é muito grande Robert is very big
Roberto é grandíssimo Robert is so big!

The adjective muito much, many, a lot has the irregular form multíssimo so much, so many (multíssima gente so many people).

There are also a number of irregular comparative and superlative adjectives. A few of these are used alongside the regular forms, where the regular forms give concrete physical descriptions, and the irregular forms give abstract ones.

* Some adjectives have a traditional superlative that stands alongside the o ___ form. These are equivalent to adding -íssimo so very ___ to one of the irregular adjectives. Keep in mind that the definite article o listed alongside the superlative has to change to match any noun it describes: os melhores momentos the best moments (masculine plural).

Maior and menor are used somewhat interchangeably with mais grande and mais pequeno, but the mais forms are heavily preferred, especially when discussing concrete physical differences. The one exception is when speaking about age, because maior and menor are the words used to differentiate between ages. O filho maior means the older or oldest son. An irmã menor is a younger sister. O maior would be the oldest and o menor the youngest. The words supremo and ínfimo are typically abstract or specialized; o Tribunal Supremo means The High Court or The Supreme Court.

The adverbs bem well and mal badly share irregular comparative and superlative forms with bom and mau. Falar melhor means to speak better, where better is an adverb modifying the action speak. You will also find adverbs formed from ó(p)timo (ó(p)timamente excellently) and péssimo (péssimamente horribly). The ending -íssimo can also be turned into an adverb (-íssimamente).