Comparatives and Superlatives in Catalan

Overview

Comparatives and superlatives allow you to compare people, things, and ideas. At the B1 level, these structures are essential for expressing preferences, making evaluations, and describing differences. Catalan uses a straightforward system of més...que (more...than), menys...que (less...than), and tan...com (as...as).

Superlatives in Catalan are formed with the definite article plus més or menys: el més alt (the tallest), la menys cara (the least expensive). A few very common adjectives have irregular comparative and superlative forms that must be memorized.

These structures apply to adjectives, adverbs, nouns, and verbs, making them versatile tools for expression.

How It Works

Comparative Structures

Type	Structure	Example
Superiority	més + adj. + que	Ell és més alt que jo. (He is taller than me.)
Inferiority	menys + adj. + que	Això és menys difícil que allò. (This is less difficult than that.)
Equality	tan + adj. + com	Són tan grans com nosaltres. (They are as big as us.)
Quantity (more)	més + noun + que	Tinc més llibres que tu. (I have more books than you.)
Quantity (equal)	tant/a/s/es + noun + com	Tinc tants amics com tu. (I have as many friends as you.)

Superlative

Type	Structure	Example
Relative superlative	el/la/els/les + més + adj.	la ciutat més gran (the biggest city)
Absolute superlative	molt + adj. / adj. + -íssim/a	molt alt / altíssim (very tall)

Irregular Comparatives

Adjective	Comparative	Superlative
bo/bona (good)	millor (better)	el/la millor (the best)
dolent/a (bad)	pitjor (worse)	el/la pitjor (the worst)
gran (big/old)	major (bigger/older)	el/la major (the biggest/oldest)
petit/a (small/young)	menor (smaller/younger)	el/la menor (the smallest/youngest)

Examples in Context

Catalan	English	Note
Ell és més alt que jo.	He is taller than me.	Superiority
Aquesta és la millor pel·lícula.	This is the best film.	Irregular superlative
Són tan grans com nosaltres.	They are as big as us.	Equality
És el menys car.	It is the least expensive.	Inferiority superlative
Barcelona és més gran que Girona.	Barcelona is bigger than Girona.	City comparison
El vi és millor que la cervesa.	The wine is better than the beer.	Irregular comparative
Tinc menys temps que abans.	I have less time than before.	Noun comparison
Corre tan ràpid com jo.	He/she runs as fast as me.	Adverb equality
És el plat més bo del restaurant.	It's the best dish in the restaurant.	Superlative + de
Aquesta casa és grandíssima.	This house is extremely big.	Absolute superlative

Common Mistakes

Using "que" instead of "com" in equality comparisons

• Wrong: És tan alt que jo.
• Right: És tan alt com jo.
• Why: Equality comparisons use "com" (as), not "que" (than).

Using "més bo" instead of "millor"

• Informal: Més bo is heard in speech but millor is the standard form.
• Standard: Millor for "better," pitjor for "worse."
• Why: Like English "better" vs. "more good," Catalan prefers the irregular form in most contexts.

Forgetting agreement with "tant"

• Wrong: Tinc tant amics com tu.
• Right: Tinc tants amics com tu.
• Why: Before a noun, "tant" agrees in gender and number: tant, tanta, tants, tantes. As an adverb before an adjective, "tan" is invariable.

Usage Notes

The absolute superlative with -íssim/a/s/es (bellíssim, altíssima) is common in written and formal Catalan. In speech, molt + adjective is more frequent. Both forms are correct. Note that the suffix triggers spelling changes: ric → riquíssim, feliç → felicíssim.

Practice Tips

1. Compare things around you: "El meu telèfon és més nou que el teu. El teu és més gran que el meu."
2. Practice irregular forms in context: "Aquesta pizza és millor. Aquella pel·lícula és pitjor."
3. Use equality comparisons for balance: "Sóc tan alt com el meu germà. Treballo tant com ella."

Related Concepts

• Basic Adjectives — the adjectives used in comparisons
• Expressing Opinions and Preferences — using comparatives to express preferences