How to Make Comparisons in Portuguese: Mais, Menos, and Tão — Practice

Build a comparison with mais or menos

To say that one person or thing has a quality to a greater degree, place mais before the adjective and do que before the comparison: este caminho é mais curto do que o outro (this route is shorter than the other one). For a lesser degree, use menos…do que.

In quick speech, speakers may shorten do que to que. Keep do que as your clear written pattern, then listen for the shorter form in conversation. The adjective still agrees with the noun: casas mais antigas, lugares menos movimentados.

Use tão…quanto for equal comparisons

Tão + adjective + quanto compares two things as equal in a quality: o café é tão bom quanto o chá (the coffee is as good as the tea). You may also hear tão…como. Both are useful patterns for describing a match rather than a difference.

Some frequent comparisons have shorter forms: melhor (better), pior (worse), maior (bigger/older), and menor (smaller/younger). Use the form that fits the meaning instead of combining it with mais: melhor do que, not mais melhor.

Remember: Use mais…do que for ‘more…than,’ menos…do que for ‘less…than,’ and tão…quanto for ‘as…as.’ Learn melhor, pior, maior, and menor as common comparison forms.

Check your understanding

Choose the English meaning of each Portuguese example. Answer before looking back at the tables. These questions check the written examples in this guide; they are not a listening or proficiency test.

Recall the Portuguese, then say it

Read the English prompt and say a Portuguese version before opening the answer. The answer shows the example from the lesson; other natural translations may also work. Compare the meaning and the situation rather than counting a different word as automatically wrong.

1. The bus is cheaper than the taxi.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   O ônibus é mais barato do que o táxi.

2. This room is less noisy than the other one.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Esta sala é menos barulhenta do que a outra.

3. Today is warmer than yesterday.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Hoje está mais quente do que ontem.

4. The train trip is as comfortable as the bus trip.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   A viagem de trem é tão confortável quanto a de ônibus.

5. This market is bigger than the one in the next neighborhood.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Esse mercado é maior do que o do bairro vizinho.

6. Sleeping well is better than studying all night.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Dormir bem é melhor do que estudar a noite toda.

Make the phrase useful to you

Choose one example you could actually use. Say it once from memory, then change one detail that fits your life, such as the person, place, time, or object. Check whether your change also needs a different verb form, article, or adjective ending. If it does, compare it with the pattern in the explanation.

Use mais…do que for ‘more…than,’ menos…do que for ‘less…than,’ and tão…quanto for ‘as…as.’ Learn melhor, pior, maior, and menor as common comparison forms.

Return to two prompts tomorrow without opening the answers first. If a phrase still feels difficult, shorten it to a useful chunk and build the complete sentence again.

Sources and your next lesson

This I Speak Portuguese practice guide builds on our How to Make Comparisons in Portuguese: Mais, Menos, and Tão lesson on Real Life Portuguese, with written recall tasks and additional speaking practice. The explanations and examples are teaching material; the practice questions are exercises, not a transcript of a recording.

To add Brazilian audio to your routine, choose a lesson in the Real Life Portuguese app. The app offers its own lessons and practice; this page does not imply that every example here has an app recording.