más alto
/mas alto/from spelling rules
The English phrase "taller" is translated into Spanish as más alto.
This phrase is used to describe someone or something that has a greater height than another. In certain contexts, such as when referring to volume, it can also mean "louder".
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of más (more) and alto (tall/high), literally translating to "more tall".
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase must agree in gender and number with the person or object being described. Use más alta for a female, más altos for a group of males or a mixed-gender group and más altas for a group of females. To complete the comparison "taller than…", you must use the word que after the adjective, forming más alto que.
How do you pronounce it?
/mas alto/
Did you know?
- While más alto refers to height, the single word alto is used as a command to 'stop', as in ¡Alto! This usage was borrowed from the German word 'halt'.
- The Spanish word más and the English word 'master' are distant relatives. Both are derived from the Latin root 'magis', which originally meant 'more' or 'greater'.
- The noun alto can describe a physical plateau or a hill, such as an otero. This links the concept of being 'taller' to the geography of the land.
Examples in context
- Yo soy más alto.I am taller.This sentence is useful for using más alto to say "I am taller".Tatoeba #886051 by Shishir, translation #251869 by CK
- Soy más alto que él.I'm taller than him.This sentence is useful for using más alto to say "I'm taller than him".Tatoeba #635803 by Shishir, translation #843159 by parheliu
- Eres más alto que yo.You're taller than me.This sentence is useful for using más alto to say "You're taller than me".Tatoeba #497561 by Shishir, translation #477195 by CM
- Juan es más alto que Pedro.Juan is taller than Pedro.
- María es de mayor estatura que Luis.María is taller than Luis.
- El jugador de baloncesto posee una altura superior al promedio.The basketball player possesses a taller height than average.
- Luis es más alto que Carlos.Luis is taller than Carlos.
- Mi hermana es más grande que yo.My sister is taller/bigger than me.
- ¡Wow, has crecido mucho! Estás más alto que la última vez que nos vimos.Wow, you've grown a lot! You are taller than the last time we saw each other.
- Sofía es más alta que Laura.Sofía is taller than Laura.
- 111 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mateo and Sofía are comparing their heights.
- MateoMira, soy más alto que tú.Look, I am taller than you.
- SofíaEs verdad, pero yo crezco rápido.That is true, but I am growing fast.
- Mateo¿Quién es más alto en tu familia?Who is the tallest in your family?
- SofíaMi hermano mayor es más alto.My older brother is taller.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries alto, más, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
