Is there a difference between "menos" and "menor", or are they interchangeable?

Question

The dictionary gives the following examples of "less/menos": it's less than a week's work -> es menos de una semana de trabajo the distance is less than we thought -> la distancia es menor de lo que pensábamos

Answer 1

menos is the antonym of más

menor is the antonym of mayor.

Depending on the phrase, you could find different translations for less in Spanish. But menor and menos are two very different words with different meaning. So, they are Not interchnageable.

Examples:

Maria es menor que Laura is very different to Marìa es menos que Laura.

Thanks. Just what I thought, which is why the dictionary entries foxed me. - GedWard, Feb 18, 2010

Answer 2

Menos is usually used with "de" and quantities. "Menos de 5 dólares". Or with time. "A las 8 menos 5", at five til 8.

Menor is: el menor, "the youngest", or "menor de edad" underage, or younger.

Thanks for this - very helpful. - GedWard, Feb 18, 2010

Answer 3

no they're not interchangable. although they both mean "less", they have differen t meanings in spanish.