Kilo Lingo
Spanish grammar Part of Chapter 36

CEFR B1-B2

5 min read

Test yourself (18 questions)

Spanish Correlative Comparison: cuanto más... más

By Michael McGettrick and Sergio Linares-HernandesUpdated 12 October 2026

Spanish says "the more... the more" with ... and "more and more" with . Neither uses a word for "the":

Quick check

Three quick questions on what you have just read. The full practice is further down.

Spot the mistake

0/3

Each sentence has one mistake. Tap it.

  • , . - The more I work, the more tired I am.
  • . - It's getting colder and colder.

The patterns at a glance

The whole page on one screen. Basic and are on comparatives and superlatives.

morelessas muchWhat do the colours mean?
PatternSpanishEnglish
the more , .The more I work, the more I earn.
the less , .The less you sleep, the worse you feel.
more and more .It's getting colder and colder.
less and less .There are fewer and fewer people.
twice .He/She earns twice as much as me.
half .I only slept half the night.
as much as .He/She works as much as you.
so much that .I work so much that I don't sleep.
however much , .However hard I try, I can't.

Cuanto más... más: the more, the more

morelessthe part that agreesWhat do the colours mean?

Two changes locked together: + clause, then + clause. Either half can go up or down, and and slot straight in:

Cuanto
First change
Then
Second change
,
.
,
.
,
.
,
.
HalvesSpanishEnglish
more, more , .The more I work, the more tired I am.
less, worse , .The less you sleep, the worse you feel.
more, less , .The more you eat, the less hungry you are.
set phrase , .The more the better.
set phrase , .The sooner the better.

Before a noun, agrees with it like an adjective:

  • , . - The more hours I work, the more I earn.

In Latin America you will often hear for the same thing: , . - The more I think about it, the more I like it.

Cada vez más: more and more

morelessWhat do the colours mean?

When only one thing is changing over time, use + the comparative. Literally "each time more":

ChangeSpanishEnglish
colder .It's getting colder and colder.
fewer .There are fewer and fewer people in the village.
better .He/She speaks Spanish better and better.
higher .Prices are higher and higher.

The difference is the whole point. is one quantity drifting; ties one change to another:

  • . - I read more and more.
  • , . - The more I read, the more I learn.

Do not confuse it with , every time: , . - Every time it rains, I stay at home.

El doble, la mitad: twice and half

(twice as much), and (half) work like nouns, with their own article. Use before the thing compared and before an amount:

PatternSpanishEnglish
+ .He/She earns twice as much as me.
+ .This flat costs three times as much as mine.
+ .He/She bought twice as much food.
+ .I only slept half the night.
alone .Now I work half as much.
What each person earns (euros a month)
What each person earns (euros a month)
ItemValue
la mitad que yo500
yo1,000
el doble que yo2,000
el triple que yo3,000

Tanto como, tanto que: as much as, so much that

as muchWhat do the colours mean?

The same word does two jobs. With it compares; with it gives a result:

PatternSpanishEnglish
as much as .He/She works as much as you.
as many as .I don't have as many friends as him.
so much that .I work so much that I don't sleep.
so many that .There were so many people that I couldn't get in.
so... that .I was so tired that I fell asleep.

goes before an adjective or adverb ( , ). goes with a verb, where it never changes ( ), or before a noun, where it agrees ( , ).

Por más que: however much

and the effort and deny the result. The mood depends on what you mean:

MeaningSpanishEnglish
a real effort , .However hard I try, I can't.
possible , .However much you insist, I'm not going.
future , .However much you study, you won't pass without sleep.
with a noun , .However much money he/she has, he/she isn't happy.

The indicative states something that is really happening (I am trying). The subjunctive leaves it open or brushes it aside, just as with aunque.

Mistakes English speakers make

WrongRightWhy
, . , .no article:
agrees before a noun
before an adjective
before a noun
yo before the person compared

The other slip is using for a proportion. "The more I read, the more I learn" ties two changes together, so it is :

  • , . - Not " , ".

What to do next

  1. One change over time: . Two changes together: .
  2. Do the busy-month story below.
  3. For "extremely" (carísimo, riquísimo), see the -ísimo ending.

Practise: test yourself

Sort into groups

0/6

Does the sentence tie two changes together, or describe one change over time?

Tap a word, then the group it belongs in.

Complete the story

0/5

Choose the word for each gap.

A busy month

Este mes trabajo que no tengo tiempo para nada. Estoy cansado que me duermo en el sofá. Mi jefe dice que más trabajo, más aprendo, pero no gano dinero como él. Él gana el que yo.

Gap 1 of 5

Spot the mistake

0/4

Each sentence has one mistake. Tap it.

Pick the right one

0/3

Choose the form that matches the English.

  1. Por más que lo , no pude. (I tried again and again)

  2. Por mucho que , no voy a ir. (whatever you might say)

  3. Solo dormí la de la noche. (half)

Chapters 1 and 2 free

This article is one lesson in a whole course

Every grammar point has its own article and drill, and the course wraps them in graded stories, games and printable worksheets, in the order you need them.

Chapters 1 and 2 free, forever. Plus: 7 days free, then $5 a month for all eleven languages.

Start learning free

Spanish · Free printables

Practice worksheets and infographics

Practice worksheets with answer keys built in, plus infographic and listicle formats. Open any one to view, print or save.

Free for members

The printable worksheets, infographics and PDFs are free with an account. Start a free week and download as many as you like.

Start your free week

More grammar on this course

Frequently asked questions

How do you say 'the more... the more' in Spanish?
+ clause, + clause: , (the more I work, the more tired I am). Either half can go down instead: , (the less you sleep, the worse you feel). Before a noun, agrees: , . There is no article: never ' '.
What is the difference between and ?
is one thing changing over time: (it's getting colder and colder). ... ties two changes together: , (the colder it gets, the more clothes I put on). One quantity, ; one change driving another, .
Is it or ?
Both are correct. is the standard everywhere; is very common in Latin American speech: , (the more I think about it, the more I like it). In Mexico and Central America you will also hear .
How do you say 'twice as much' in Spanish?
: (he/she earns twice as much as me), (he/she bought twice as much food). before the thing compared, before an amount or a clause ( , twice what I earn). Half is : (I only slept half the night).
Does take the subjunctive?
It depends on what you mean. For a real effort you are making, the indicative: , (however hard I try, and I am trying, I can't). For a possible or future case, the subjunctive: , a (however much you insist, I'm not going).