Mas vs. Mais in Portuguese: The Difference, Examples & the Word Más
Three spellings. Three jobs. Sometimes almost the same sound.
Mas, mais and más look dangerously similar, but the easiest way to separate them is meaning—not pronunciation.
Mas usually means but. Mais usually expresses more, most, plus, another or else. Más means bad when the things or people described are feminine and plural.
And there is one detail especially important for Brazilian Portuguese learners: in many Brazilian accents, mas can sound very similar—or even identical—to mais. Context does the work.
Save this table
Mas vs. mais vs. más: the difference at a glance
| Word | Core meaning | Job in the sentence | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| mas | but / however | connects contrasting or qualifying ideas | Quero ir, mas estou cansado. I want to go, but I’m tired. |
| mais | more / most / plus / additional | expresses quantity, degree, comparison or addition | Quero mais café. I want more coffee. |
| más | bad | feminine plural adjective | Foram más notícias. It was bad news. |
•
MAIS = MORE
•
MÁS = BAD (feminine plural)
Word 1
Mas = “but”
Mas is primarily a conjunction used to introduce contrast, restriction, correction or a qualification. A very reliable learner test is to ask whether English but, however or sometimes yet would make sense.
I wanted to go out, but it’s raining.
Desire versus obstacle.
She’s young, but very experienced.
The second idea qualifies an expectation created by the first.
I liked the movie, but the ending was strange.
Sorry, but I don’t agree.
A very common conversational pattern.
Other conjunctions can express similar contrast: porém, contudo, todavia, no entanto. They are useful for reading and formal writing, but everyday Brazilian speech relies heavily on mas.
not only… but also
Ela não só fala português, mas também espanhol.
She not only speaks Portuguese, but also Spanish.
not X, but Y / rather Y
Não foi ontem, mas hoje.
It wasn’t yesterday, but today.
Word 2
Mais is bigger than the translation “more”
English more is the best starting point, but mais appears in several extremely frequent patterns. Grammatically, its classification can change depending on what it modifies or accompanies; for learners, recognizing the meaning pattern is usually more useful than memorizing one label.
mais café
more coffee
Você quer mais café?
Do you want more coffee?
mais devagar
more slowly
Fala mais devagar, por favor.
Speak more slowly, please.
mais dois
two more / plus two
Vamos ficar mais dois dias.
We’re staying two more days.
A high-frequency use
Comparatives and superlatives with mais
more… than
São Paulo é maior do que Belo Horizonte.
São Paulo is bigger than Belo Horizonte.
With regular adjectives: mais interessante que…, mais caro do que…
the most…
Foi a viagem mais bonita da minha vida.
It was the most beautiful trip of my life.
A pattern English speakers need early
Não… mais = “not anymore / no longer”
In a negative sentence, mais often corresponds to English anymore or any longer.
I don’t live in Brazil anymore.
She doesn’t work here anymore.
I don’t want any more / I don’t want it anymore.
The exact English translation depends on context.
Never again!
Another reason “mais = more” is incomplete
Mais can mean “else,” “another” or “additional”
What else?
O que mais você quer saber?
What else do you want to know?
one more / another
Só mais uma pergunta.
Just one more question.
who else?
Quem mais vai à festa?
Who else is going to the party?
You will also see mathematical/additive uses:
Dois mais dois são quatro.
Two plus two is four.
Word 3 — the accent changes everything
Más = “bad” for feminine plural nouns
Más is not another version of mas or mais. It belongs to the adjective family mau / má, meaning bad.
| Gender / number | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| masculine singular | mau | um mau exemplo |
| feminine singular | má | uma má ideia |
| masculine plural | maus | maus hábitos |
| feminine plural | más | más notícias |
She had bad experiences.
They were bad decisions.
Do not depend on your ears alone
Do mas and mais sound different in Brazilian Portuguese?
Sometimes yes. Sometimes hardly at all.
Mais contains the diphthong written ai. But in many Brazilian varieties, speakers can also insert an i-like glide before a final s after a stressed vowel. That can make mas sound like—or very close to—mais.
Quero ir, mas não posso.
If the mysterious word connects two contrasting ideas, it is mas: but.
Quero mais um.
If it increases a quantity, it is mais: one more.
This is normal language behavior. English speakers also distinguish homophones such as two / too or there / their through context rather than sound alone.
For broader Brazilian sound patterns, see our Brazilian Portuguese Pronunciation Guide.
A writing question that comes with mas
Do you put a comma before mas?
When mas introduces a contrasting coordinated clause, a comma normally comes before it:
Eu queria ficar, mas precisava trabalhar.
I wanted to stay, but I needed to work.
For a learner, this is the useful default pattern. More advanced punctuation questions can depend on the structure and stylistic use of mas, but you do not need those exceptions to write ordinary Portuguese correctly.
Learn the words inside chunks
Common expressions with mas and mais
| Expression | Natural English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| mas também | but also | É difícil, mas também é divertido. |
| não só… mas também | not only… but also | Não só entende, mas também fala. |
| mais ou menos | more or less / so-so | Como você está? Mais ou menos. |
| cada vez mais | more and more / increasingly | Estou entendendo cada vez mais. |
| nada mais | nothing else / nothing more | Não preciso de nada mais. |
| ninguém mais | nobody else / no one else | Ninguém mais sabe disso. |
| uma vez mais | once more | Obrigado uma vez mais. |
| a mais | extra / too many | Tem uma cadeira a mais aqui. |
| mais ou menos isso | more or less that / basically that | É mais ou menos isso. |
The errors are predictable
Common mistakes with mas, mais and más
Quero mas café.
Here you need quantity: more.
✓ Quero mais café.
I want more coffee.
Quero ir, mais estou cansado.
Here you need contrast: but.
✓ Quero ir, mas estou cansado.
I want to go, but I’m tired.
Foram mas notícias.
You are describing feminine plural notícias as bad.
✓ Foram más notícias.
It was bad news.
“I’ll choose by pronunciation.”
In Brazilian speech, mas and mais may be homophonous or nearly so. Use the sentence meaning.
Test the distinction
Quick quiz: mas, mais or más?
Choose the missing word before opening the answer mentally.
Continue building the small words that control meaning
Related Brazilian Portuguese guides
Frequently asked questions
FAQ: mas vs. mais in Portuguese
What is the difference between mas and mais?
Mas usually means “but” and introduces contrast. Mais commonly means “more” and also appears in comparisons, additions and meanings such as “else,” “another” and “anymore.”
What does más mean?
Más is the feminine plural form of mau/má, meaning “bad”: más notícias, más escolhas, más intenções.
Do mas and mais sound the same in Brazil?
They can. Brazilian pronunciation varies, and in many varieties mas develops an i-like glide before the final s, making it sound the same as or very close to mais. Context is therefore more reliable than pronunciation.
How can I remember mas vs. mais?
Mais has one more letter than mas. Then remember: mas = but; mais = more.
Does mais always mean “more”?
No. Depending on context it can correspond to “more,” “most,” “another,” “else,” “plus,” “additional” or, in negative constructions, “anymore/no longer.”
How do I say “not anymore” in Portuguese?
Use não… mais: Eu não trabalho mais aqui = “I don’t work here anymore.”
How do I say “what else?” in Portuguese?
O que mais? means “What else?” Similarly, quem mais? means “who else?”
Does a comma come before mas?
In the common pattern where mas introduces a contrasting coordinated clause, yes: Quero ir, mas não posso.
Is mais always an adverb?
No. Its grammatical classification depends on context. Portuguese grammar references analyze it differently when it modifies verbs/adjectives/adverbs versus when it occurs with nouns and other structures. Learners should first master the meaning patterns.
What is mais ou menos?
It literally means “more or less” and can also mean “so-so.” For example: Como você está? Mais ou menos. = “How are you? So-so.”
