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mayor

mah-YORmaˈʝoɾ

older

Also: elder, eldest
A tall man with gray hair gently holding the hand of a small, young child, illustrating the concept of being older.

📝 In Action

Mi hermano mayor tiene veinte años.

A1

My older brother is twenty years old.

Ella es la mayor de la familia.

A2

She is the eldest in the family.

Soy dos años mayor que tú.

A2

I am two years older than you.

Word Connections

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • hermano/a mayor – older brother/sister
  • hijo/a mayor – oldest son/daughter

greater, bigger

Also: main, major, larger
A massive, prominent statue placed in the center of a wide, open town square, illustrating the concept of main or biggest.

📝 In Action

La contaminación es el mayor problema de la ciudad.

B1

Pollution is the city's biggest problem.

La Plaza Mayor es muy bonita.

A2

The main square is very beautiful.

Este proyecto requiere una inversión mayor.

B2

This project requires a greater investment.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • principal (main, principal)
  • más grande (bigger)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • la mayor parte – the majority, most of it
  • plaza mayor – main square
  • fuerza mayor – act of God, major force

of legal age

Also: adult
AdjectiveB1formal
An adult hand dropping a folded white paper into a tall, official ballot box, symbolizing being of legal age to vote.

📝 In Action

Tienes que ser mayor de edad para votar.

B1

You have to be of legal age to vote.

Cuando seas mayor de edad, podrás conducir solo.

B1

When you are of legal age, you will be able to drive alone.

Word Connections

Antonyms

  • menor de edad (minor, underage)

Common Collocations

  • ser mayor de edad – to be of legal age

elderly person, senior citizen

Also: adult, senior
Nounm/fB1
Two smiling elderly people, one man and one woman, sitting peacefully together on a park bench.

📝 In Action

Debemos cuidar a nuestros mayores.

B1

We must take care of our elders.

Hay un descuento para mayores en el museo.

B1

There is a discount for senior citizens at the museum.

Esta película es solo para mayores.

B2

This movie is for adults only.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Translate to Spanish

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: mayor

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence uses 'mayor' to mean 'main' or 'most important'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
mayoría(majority) — Noun
mayoritario(majority (as an adjective)) — Adjective
mayordomo(butler) — Noun
alcalde mayor(chief magistrate (historical)) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Comes directly from the Latin word 'maior', which was the comparative form of 'magnus', meaning 'great'. So, 'maior' literally meant 'greater'. This idea of 'greater' expanded over time to mean greater in age (older), greater in importance (main), and legally greater (adult).

First recorded: Around the 10th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: majorEnglish: mayorPortuguese: maiorFrench: majeur

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Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between 'mayor' and 'más grande'?

Great question! Use 'mayor' for age ('older') and importance ('greater', 'main'). Use 'más grande' for physical size ('bigger'). For example, you have an 'hermano mayor' (older brother) and you live in a 'casa más grande' (bigger house).

Is 'mayor' masculine or feminine?

'Mayor' is special because it doesn't change for gender. It's the same for both! You say 'el hombre mayor' (the older man) and 'la mujer mayor' (the older woman). The word 'mayor' stays the same.

How do I say 'oldest' instead of just 'older'?

It's easy! You just add 'el', 'la', 'los', or 'las' before it. For example, 'Mi hermano es mayor' means 'My brother is older'. But 'Mi hermano es el mayor' means 'My brother is the oldest'.