mejor

Mejor is a Spanish adjective and adverb that serves as the comparative form of bueno. It denotes a higher quality or degree and is used to compare two or more things, as well as to indicate the superlative when formed with a definite article (el mejor, la mejor). It can also function as a noun phrase, as in lo mejor, meaning “the best part” or “the best thing.”

Etymology and inflection: Mejor derives from the Latin melior, the comparative of bonus (good). In gender and number, mejor is primarily invariable for singular nouns (el mejor, la mejor) and forms the plural mejores for both masculine and feminine. As an adverb, mejor does not change for gender or number and appears in phrases like corre mejor or sabe mejor.

Usage notes: In standard Spanish, mejor is preferred over a construction such as más bueno to express a higher quality. The phrase más bueno can carry awkward or moral connotations in some contexts. Mejor can also express improvement as a process, especially when combined with verbs (mejorar) or with estar to indicate current state (estoy mejor). Distinctions exist between mejor as “better” in quality and lo mejor as the noun phrase “the best.”

Related forms and derivatives: The verb mejorar means “to improve,” derived from mejor. Other related forms include mejores (plural) and la mejor/las mejores, used to specify the best item or person in a category.

In summary, mejor functions as the standard comparative of bueno in Spanish, with extended use as an adverb, noun phrase, and basis for the verb meaning “to improve.”