Más vs Mas

Quick Answer

Más(more or most) and mas(but or however) look very similar and are even pronounced the same way. However, they actually have very different meanings and uses in Spanish. Read on to learn more about how to use this pair of tricky words!

Más With an Accent: Comparisons

Más is the Spanish word for more and most. It is used to compare two or more things, and is placed before the noun or adjective that it is modifying. Let’s take a look at some examples:

examples
El perro es más grande que el gato. The dog is bigger than the cat.
Este libro es más interesante que el otro. This book is more interesting than the other one.

Formula for Comparisons of Inequality

más + adjective/adverb/noun + que

examples
Lucía es más paciente que su prima. Lucia is more patient than her cousin.
Susi lee más rápido que yo. Susi reads faster than I do.
Tengo más lápices que Juana. I have more pencils than Juana.
La pizza es más sabrosa que la calabaza. Pizza is more delicious than squash.

When preceded by a definite article (el, la, los, las), más expresses a superlative degree, equivalent to most or -est in English.

examples
Ese libro es el más interesante de todos. That book is the most interesting of them all.
Este durazno es el más rico que he comido. This peach is the tastiest I’ve ever eaten.

Read this article for more on Comparisons of Inequality.

Más With an Accent: Expressing High Degree

Más may also be used in Spanish to indicate a high degree of something. In this case, its translation into English may depend on the context. Let’s take a look at some examples:

examples
¡Qué hijo más inteligente tienes! Your sons really intelligent!
¡Qué momentos más difíciles hemos pasado! We've been through som really tough times!

Mas Without an Accent

Mas is a conjunction in Spanish that means but or however. It is used to connect two clauses or sentences that contrast or contradict each other.

examples
Quiero ir al cine, mas no tengo dinero. I want to go to the movies, but I don't have money.
Me gusta el verano, mas prefiero el otoño. I like summer; however, I prefer autumn.

It's important to pay attention to the spelling of más and mas in Spanish, as an accent can change the meaning of your sentence significantly. Take a look:

examples
Me gusta tu camisa. - Más prefiero la tuya. I like your shirt. – I prefer yours more.
Me gusta tu camisa. – Mas prefiero la tuya. I like your shirt. – But I prefer yours.

Interested in tricky pairs? Check out the following articles!

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