mais

Mais is a common word in Portuguese that expresses an increase in degree or quantity. It functions as an adverb, a determiner, and, in certain constructions, as an intensifier or a marker of quantity.

As an adverb, mais conveys "more" before adjectives or verbs: mais alto (taller), mais rápido (faster). It also appears before adverbs in phrases such as mais lentamente (more slowly). As a determiner, mais precedes a noun to indicate a greater amount: mais pessoas (more people), mais tempo (more time). It commonly appears in combinations like mais de (more than), mais ainda (even more), and mais ou menos (more or less). For negation of continuation, the phrase não mais means “no longer” or “not anymore.”

Mais is distinct from mas, which means “but.” While mais signals increase or addition, mas introduces a contrast.

Etymology and usage notes: mais derives from Latin maius meaning greater, and it has cognates in other Romance languages (Spanish más, French plus). It is highly frequent in both Brazilian and European Portuguese, with only minor regional preferences in pronunciation or use.

Special constructions include quanto mais… mais, an idiomatic pattern meaning “the more … the more …”: quanto mais estudamos, mais aprendemos. The word also functions in mathematics as the equivalent of the addition operator plus: dois mais dois é quatro.

Examples:

- Quero mais leite.

- Ela é mais alta do que ele.

- Não quero mais falar sobre isso.

- Existem mais de cem pessoas no evento.

- O tempo fica mais curto à medida que se aproxima o fim.

In sum, mais is a versatile term central to expressing quantity, comparison, and emphasis in Portuguese.