We Do NOT Say "Mais Grande"

This always comes as a surprise to Spanish speakers. 

In Portuguese we create aumentatives by adding mais in front of the word being modified. For expample:

• mais bonito
• mais rico
• mais saudável
• mais feliz

So far, so good. This is the general rule. And here are the major exceptions:

In Brazilian Portuguese, we never say "mais grande", "mais pequeno", "mais bom", "mais bem", "mais ruim", and "mais mal". Instead, we say:

• maior (bigger)
• menor (smaller)
• melhor (better)
• pior (worse)

For learners of Portuguese, it is very important to keep this in mind!

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