menos que / menos de ??

Question

I thought less than was menos que, but now I see this, I chose que & got it wrong, should be de.

Tú eres menos ---|---|-- diez años. Por eso no puedes montar la montaña rusa.

Please explain the difference.

Answer 1

The first sentence should read "Tú tienes menos de diez años. In Spanish one "has ten years", while in English we "are ten" (years old).

Menos de is used when the expression is followed by a number, like diez años.

Menos que is used when the expression is followed by an unspecified amount. For example, Juan tiene menos dinero que Ana.

Answer 2

Gracias
I hadn't thought about eres menos de diez años otherwise I would have asked that question also.
Could you use either tienes or eres in this case'

Answer 3

Gustavo
I don't understand what you mean.

Answer 4

He means that "Eres menor (younger) de 10 años" and "Tienes menos de (less than) 10 años" are both correct, but not "Eres menos de 10 años." You can't "be" an age in Spanish; you "have" an age.

Answer 5

Now that I look at flash card I even posted it wrong
it is Tú eres menor ___|__ diez años

Answer 6

And now you know the answer: de.

Tengo más/menos dinero que tú.
Tengo más/menos de $20.

De always precedes numbers in these constructions.

Answer 7

claro, gracias