Comparing Adjectives

Regular and Irregular Forms

LFA 61 and 64
Dec. 9-15, 2014

3 Degrees of Adjectives!
Positive: long, high, strong
Comparative: longer, higher,
stronger
Superlative: longest, highest,
strongest

How to make comparatives

Add ior for M/F, add ius for N
longior, longius: longer
altior, altius: higher
fortior, fortius: stronger

How to make superlatives

Add issimus
Longissimus: longest
Altissimus: highest
Fortissimus: strongest

There are always

exceptions
Adjectives that end in er form their
superlatives by adding RIMUS
instead of issimus
celer, celeris, celere CELERRIMUS
acer, acris, acre ACERRIMUS

One more exception!

The adjectives similis, dissimilis,
facilis, difficilis, gracilis, and
humilis add LIMUS instead of
issimus for the superlative
similis, simile: SIMILLIMUS (most
similar)

Using Comparatives in Latin

#1
The man is stronger than the boy.
Vir est fortior quam puer.
Comparative + quamthe 2nd
noun being compared is in the
same case as the 1st noun.

Using Comparatives in Latin

#2
Vir est fortior puero.
Comparative + ablative no
quam is used, just put the 2nd
noun in the ablative case. This is
called the ablative of
comparison.

Declining Adjectives
See page 423 of your book for how
adjectives decline.
Comparative adjectives ior and
ius decline like 3rd declension
nouns (see next slide)
Superlative adjectives issimus,
-issima,
-issimum decline
like 1st and 2nd declension nouns.

altus, -a, -um

altior, altius
altissimus, -a, -um

M/F (sg.)
N (pl.)
altior
altius
altioris altioris
altiori
altiori
altiorem
altius
altiore altiore

M/F (pl.)
altiores
altiorum
altiorum
altioribus
altioribus
altiores
altioribus
altioribus

N (pl.)
altiora

altiora

Comparing Adjectives Practice

(turn in to box)
Write the positive, comparative, and
superlative forms (Latin and English)
for the following adjectives:
gratus
nobilis
clarus
levis
longus

Irregular Adjectives

English has irregular adjectives:

Good, better, best
NOT good, gooder, goodest
Latin has irregular adjectives, too!
THESE ARE YOUR VOCABULARY
WORDS FOR THIS SECTION: BE SURE
TO COPY AND STUDY THEM!

Irregular Adjectives
bonus, -a, -um
melior, melius
optimus, -a, -um
English derivatives:
ameliorate
optimist

good
better
best

Irregular Adjectives
malus, -a, -um
peior, peius
pessimus, -a, -um
English derivatives:
pejorative
pessimist

bad
worse
worst

Irregular Adjectives
magnus, -a, -um
maior, maius
maximus, -a, -um
Engish derivatives:
major
maximum

big, great
bigger, greater
biggest, greatest

Irregular Adjectives
parvus, -a, -um
minor, minus
minimus, -a, -um
English derivatives:
minor
minimum

small
smaller
smallest

Irregular Adjectives
multus, -a, -um much, many
plus (nom.),
pluris (gen.) +
genitive noun

more

plurimus

most, very many

How Plus Works

Plus is a neuter noun. It takes a
genitive.
More food = plus cibi (lit., more
of food)
More money = plus pecuniae (lit.,
more of money)

Additional Vocab:
extremus, -a, -um: farthest, last,
end of
inferior, inferius: lower
proximus, -a, -um: nearest, next
(w./dative)
summus, -a, -um: highest, top of
ulterior, ulterius: farther
ultimus, -a, -um: farthest