Comparison of Adjectives A quick reminder An ADJECTIVE

Comparison of Adjectives

A quick reminder! • An ADJECTIVE is a describing word! • Without it, life would be DULL. • And cats would be just cats, not furry cats. • And mice would just be rodents, not small, scurrying rodents.

Adjectives come in three sizes: • Positive strythio altus A tall ostrich • Comparative strythio altior A taller ostrich • Superlative strythio altissimus A very tall ostrich

Simply put…. • Positive adjective – Means: Normal – Has normal adjective ending • Comparative adjective – Means: MORE or –ER or QUITE – Has –ior ending • Superlative adjective – Means: VERY or MOST or –EST – Has –issimus ending

-us-a-um adjective types • puer altus per viam cucurrit. – A tall boy ran down the street. • mercator altior erat quam amicus meus. – The merchant was taller than my friend. • mons erat altissimus quam umquam videram. – The mountain was the tallest I had ever seen.

-is-is-e adjective types • puer fortis per viam cucurrit. – A strong boy ran down the street. • mercator fortior erat quam amicus meus. – The merchant was stronger than my friend. • leo erat fortissimus quem umquam videram. – The lion was the strongest I had ever seen.

rd 3 Other declension adjective types • puer ferox per viam cucurrit. – A fierce boy ran down the street. • mercator ferocior erat quam amicus meus. – The merchant was fiercer than my friend. • mus erat ferocissimus quam umquam videram. – The mouse was the fiercest I had ever seen.

rd 3 Other declension adjective types • puer ingens per viam cucurrit. – A huge boy ran down the street. • mercator ingentior erat quam amicus meus. – The merchant was huger than my friend. • statua erat ingentissima quam umquam videram. – The statue was the hugest I had ever seen.

-er adjective types: note the change in the Superlative • puer pulcher per viam cucurrit. – A handsome boy ran down the street. • mercator pulchrior erat quam amicus meus. – The merchant was more attractive than my friend. • puella erat pulcherrima quam umquam videram. – The girl was the most beautiful I had ever seen.

Six special -lis adjectives: note the change in the Superlative • Hic labor est facilis. – This work is easy. • Hic labor est facilior quam ille. – This work is easier than that (work). • Hic labor est facillimus. – This work is the easiest. • facilis/difficilis • similis/dissimilis • gracilis/humilis

BUT…. other -lis adjectives: no change in the Superlative • Hic currus est utilis. – This cart is useful. • Hic currus est utilior quam ille. – This cart is more useful than that (work). • Hic currue est utilissimus. – This cart is very useful. • N. B. Any adjective that ends in –lis, EXCEPT the 6 “special” adjectives, forms the superlative like any regular adjective.

So, to recap: • Positive Comparative Superlative • • More / Quite/ -er altior fortior ferocior ingentior pulchrior facilior utilior Most / Very / -est altissimus fortissimus ferocissimus ingentissimus pulcherrimus facillimus utilissimus Normal altus fortis ferox ingens pulcher facilis utilis

Notice these common irregulars too which you must memorize • Small – parvus minor minimus maior maximus melior optimus peior pessimus plures plurimi • Big – magnus • Good – bonus • Bad – malus • Many – multi

How to say “than” • Method 1: QUAM = THAN – equus est maior quam canis. • The horse is bigger than a dog. • Method 2: ABLATIVE of COMPARISON – The object you are comparing the thing to goes into the ablative case. There is no QUAM. – equus est maior cane. • The horse is bigger than a dog.

Practice • puer erat altior quam equus. – The boy was taller than a horse. • templum erat maximum aedificium quod viderat. – The temple was the biggest building he had seen. • puella stultissima leonem agitabat. – The very stupid girl chased the lion. • sacerdotes minimi in templum maximum intraverunt. – The very small priests went into the very large temple.

More practice • caupo, quod erat fessior quam nos, ad cubiculum contendebat. – The innkeeper, because he was more tired than us, went to his bedroom. • imperator ferocissimus milites ignavissimos verberabat. – The very fierce general used to beat the most cowardly soldiers. • hic canis est fortior quam ille. – This dog is stronger than that one.