menos que
/menos ke/from spelling rules
The Spanish phrase menos que translates to "less than" or "fewer than" in English.
menos que is used to indicate that one quantity or amount is smaller than another, or to compare qualities and non-numerical concepts.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of menos (less) and que (than).
Which one should you use?
While menos que is used for comparisons of quality or non-numerical concepts, the phrase menos de is the standard form used when comparing specific numerical values.
How does it change in a sentence?
In many Spanish dialects, when you are comparing specific numerical quantities, you should use menos de instead of menos que (for example, menos de diez).
How do you pronounce it?
/menos ke/
Did you know?
- While menos que is the standard for comparison, Spanish speakers often use the phrase menos mal to express relief, meaning 'thank goodness'.
- The word que actually descends from the Latin word for 'what', which is quid. It has evolved from a question word to a functional connector used for comparisons.
Examples in context
- La empresa tiene menos ingresos que el año pasado.The company has less revenue than last year.
- Tengo menos que tú.I have less than you.
- Comí menos que lo habitual.I ate less than usual.
Example conversation
Daniel and Elena are talking about their work hours.
- DanielTrabajo más que tú, Elena.I work more than you, Elena.
- ElenaNo, yo trabajo menos que tú.No, I work less than you.
- DanielEntonces tienes más tiempo libre.Then you have more free time.
- ElenaSí, pero me canso más.Yes, but I get more tired.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries menos, que, CC BY-SA 4.0.
