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How to Say "older" in Spanish

English → Spanish

mayor

/mah-YOR//maˈʝoɾ/

adjectiveA1general
Use this when referring to someone being older than someone else in terms of age, often for siblings or family members.
A tall man with gray hair gently holding the hand of a small, young child, illustrating the concept of being older.

Examples

Mi hermano mayor tiene veinte años.

My older brother is twenty years old.

Ella es la mayor de la familia.

She is the eldest in the family.

Soy dos años mayor que tú.

I am two years older than you.

Doesn't Change for Gender

Unlike many Spanish adjectives, 'mayor' doesn't change its ending for masculine or feminine. It's 'el chico mayor' and 'la chica mayor'.

Special Comparative Word

In Spanish, 'older' is a special case. Instead of saying 'más viejo' (more old), you almost always use 'mayor' when talking about people's age. It's more natural and polite.

Using 'más viejo'

Mistake: “Mi hermana es más vieja que yo.”

Correction: Mi hermana es mayor que yo. Using 'viejo' for a person can sound a bit rude, like calling them 'old'. 'Mayor' is the standard, polite way to say 'older'.

mayores

mah-YOH-rehs/maˈʝoɾes/

adjectiveA1general
Use this plural form when referring to multiple people who are older, such as older siblings or older children.
A tall adult with slightly graying hair smiling down warmly at a much shorter, younger child, illustrating the comparison of ages.

Examples

Mis hijos mayores ya están en la universidad.

My older children are already in university.

Necesitamos vehículos mayores para transportar todo el equipo.

We need bigger vehicles to transport all the equipment.

Los desafíos de este proyecto son mayores de lo que pensamos.

The challenges of this project are greater than we thought.

Always Plural

Since this word ends in '-es', it must always describe more than one person or thing. It is the plural form of the singular word 'mayor'.

The Irregular Comparison

'Mayores' already means 'bigger' or 'older,' so you don't need to add the word 'más' (more) before it. You would never say 'más mayores'.

Adding 'Más'

Mistake: “Estos coches son más mayores.”

Correction: Estos coches son mayores. ('Mayores' already means 'more big/old,' so 'más' is unnecessary.)

grande

/GRAHN-deh//ˈɡɾande/

adjectiveB1general
Use this when talking about someone growing up and becoming older or reaching a certain size, like a child becoming an adult.
A small child wearing an oversized white doctor's coat that is too big, standing next to a fully grown adult in a neat matching doctor's coat, illustrating the concept of being grown-up.

Examples

Cuando sea grande, quiero ser médico.

When I'm grown-up, I want to be a doctor.

Mi hermano grande vive en otra ciudad.

My older brother lives in another city.

Ya eres grande para creer en fantasmas.

You're too old/grown-up to believe in ghosts.

Confusing 'Mayor'/'Mayores' with 'Grande'

Learners often use 'grande' when they mean 'older' in the sense of age comparison. Remember that 'mayor' and 'mayores' are specifically for age, while 'grande' is for growing up or becoming bigger/adult.

Related Translations

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