Drifting From the Truth

Quanto mais uma sociedade se afastar da verdade, mais odiará aqueles que a dizem.

The further a society drifts from truth, the more it will hate those who speak it.

Words in this story

Quanto mais (the more/the further)

When “quanto” is used together with “mais” (more) it means “the more” and it is used at the beginning of the structure “Quanto mais X mais Y” (The more X the more Y). In this context it can be translated as “the further,” but only because we have the verb “afastar-se” (to distance oneself).

Another common expression is “Quanto mais, melhor” (The more, the better).

In some situations, “quanto” can mean “as.” For example:

• ⏱️ Quanto antes (as soon as possible)
• 📌 Quanto a... (as regards to…)