Comparativos irregulares: mejor

Most Spanish adjectives use más to compare. For example, más alto means taller. But bueno is a rebel. It does not like the word más. Instead of más bueno, we use mejor. This is called an irregular comparative. It acts like a shortcut for your brain. You don't need to combine two words. You just use this one special term. It describes a higher quality or state. It works for objects, people, and situations. Interestingly, it does not care about gender. You use mejor for masculine nouns. You use mejor for feminine nouns too. However, it does care about quantity. If you compare multiple things, use mejores. It is a very flexible and efficient word.

1. 1Using mejor follows a very simple recipe. Follow these steps to build sentences.
2. 2Start with the first thing you are comparing.
3. 3Add the verb ser or estar.
4. 4Place the word mejor right after the verb.
5. 5Use the word que to mean "than."
6. 6End with the second thing you are comparing.
7. 7For example: El café es mejor que el té. Here, the coffee wins. If you have many things, add an "es".
8. 8Start with the plural items.
9. 9Use the verb son or están.
10. 10Use the plural form mejores.
11. 11Add que for the comparison.
12. 12Finish with the other group.
13. 13Example: Mis gatos son mejores que tus perros. Sorry, dog lovers!

You will use mejor in many scenarios. Use it when ordering food at a restaurant. You might say Esta pizza es mejor. Use it when talking about your skills. "I am better at soccer than tennis." Use it to talk about your health. If you felt sick yesterday, say Hoy estoy mejor. It works perfectly for movie reviews. Use it to compare two job offers. It is great for giving directions. "This street is better than that one." Use it whenever quality is the main topic. It is also used for moral choices. Doing the right thing is mejor. It is a very positive, useful word.

There are a few times to be careful. Do not use it for age. For age, use mayor instead of mejor. Don't use it for size. Use más grande for physical dimensions. Avoid using it when you mean "well." If you mean the adverb, use bien. But wait, mejor can also be an adverb! This can be a bit confusing at first. Just remember: if you are comparing "goodness," use mejor. If you are comparing "how" something is done, use mejor too. But never say más bueno for quality. It sounds very childish to native ears. Think of it like a grammar traffic light. Red light for más bueno, green light for mejor.

The biggest mistake is saying más mejor. This is a very common error for beginners. It is like saying "more better" in English. It sounds redundant and a bit silly. Another mistake is forgetting the plural form. Many people say Ellos son mejor. That is wrong. You must say Ellos son mejores. Don't forget the que either. Some learners try to use de like in English "of." But in Spanish, we use que for "than." Also, watch out for gender confusion. Do not try to say "mejora" for feminine things. Mejor stays the same for everyone. Yes, even native speakers mess this up sometimes! Just keep it simple and stick to the rules.

Let's compare mejor with its opposite: peor. Peor means "worse." It follows the exact same irregular rules. You don't say más malo. You just say peor. Another contrast is with más bueno. While más bueno is usually wrong, it exists. Sometimes it describes a person's kind heart. But for quality, mejor is the undisputed king. Think of mejor vs el mejor. Mejor is for comparing two things. El mejor is for saying something is the best. It is the "superlative" version. One is a competition between two. The other is a gold medal for one. Understanding this distinction helps you be precise.