Using Más in Spanish as an Adverb, Noun, or Pronoun

Mà ¡s is the word most commonly used in Spanish as the equivalent of more and sometimes most. It typically functions as an adverb but sometimes as an adjective or pronoun. Here is a guide to its usage: Using Mà ¡s to Mean ‘More’ or ‘Most’ In its most simple use, mà ¡s can come before an adjective or adverb to mean more or most, depending on the context. In the same way, mà ¡s is often the equivalent of the English suffix -er or -est.  ¿Cuà ¡l es el idioma mà ¡s fà ¡cil para aprender? (What is the easiest language to learn?)Es mà ¡s difà ­cil vivir en el à ©xito. (It is more difficult to live with success.) ¿Si me baà ±o en cloro serà © mà ¡s blanco? (If I bathe in chlorine, will I be whiter?)La propulsià ³n warp de Star Trek se usa para viajar mà ¡s rà ¡pido que la luz. (Star Treks warp propulsion is used to travel faster than light.)El monte Fujiyama es conocido como la mà ¡s hermosa montaà ±a en la Tierra. (Mount Fujiyama is known as the most beautiful mountain on Earth.) When it comes before a noun, mà ¡s can function as a masculine or feminine adjective and also be translated as more. Its use as an adjective to mean most is possible but uncommon. Hay mà ¡s felicidad en dar que en recibir. (There is more happiness in giving than in receiving.)Puedes enviar una invitacià ³n por correo electrà ³nico a dos o mà ¡s personas a la vez. (You can send an invitation by email to two or more people at a time.) ¿Causa la contaminacià ³n del aire mà ¡s muertes extra al aà ±o que el tabaco? (Does air pollution cause more additional deaths each year than tobacco?) Mà ¡s can also function as a pronoun in the same way where it substitutes for mà ¡s noun: Tengo mà ¡s que tà º. (I have more than you.)Compramos mà ¡s cuando tenemos hambre. (We are buying more when we are hungry.)Lo mà ¡s que puedes lograr es ser nà ºmero dos. (The most you can accomplish is to be number two.) Mà ¡s Que vs. Mà ¡s De The phrase more than is nearly always translated as mà ¡s de or mà ¡s que. However, the two phrases are used in different ways, arent interchangeable, and should not be confused with each other. Mà ¡s de is used with numbers and quantities: Las olas, de mà ¡s de siete metros de altura, hicieron estragos. (The waves, more than 7 meters high, created havoc.)Habà ­a mà ¡s de un mil espectadores. (There were more than 1,000 spectators.)Es importante beber mà ¡s de dos litros de agua al dà ­a. (It is important to drink more than two liters of water per day.) Mà ¡s que is used otherwise. As in the second example below, an adjective or adverb can come between the mà ¡s and the que. Hoy te amo mà ¡s que ayer. (I love you more today than yesterday.)La paz es mà ¡s difà ­cil que la guerra. (Peace is more difficult than war.)Somos mucho mà ¡s que amigos. (We are much more than friends.) Using Mà ¡s With Verbs Although mà ¡s is often translated as more when used as an adverb following a verb, often it is better to let the context suggest a different translation:  ¡No puedo vivir mà ¡s con mis padres! (I cant live any longer with my parents!)Pienso mà ¡s cuando no hay distracciones. (I think better when there arent any distractions.)Esta pilas recargables duran mà ¡s. (These rechargeable batteries last longer.) Using Mà ¡s in Arithmetic In mathematical formulas, mà ¡s is the equivalent of plus: Dos mà ¡s dos es igual a cuatro. (Two plus two equals four.)La suma de cero mà ¡s cualquier nà ºmero da dicho nà ºmero. (The sum of zero plus any number gives that number.) Mà ¡s vs. Mas Mà ¡s should not be confused with mas, even though the two words sound alike and come from the same origin. Mas is a preposition meaning but. You wont hear it used very often—mas has a mostly literary use and in real life the word choice for but is pero. Centuries ago, mà ¡s and mas started out as the same word, with the former eventually getting the accent because it would get the stress as its more and but meanings diverged. Key Takeaways Mà ¡s is usually used as an adverb to mean more or most.Mà ¡s can also be used as an adjective or pronoun meaning more.Mà ¡s and mas are not the same word; the latter is a literary word meaning but.