Adjectives

#0025. Comparative degree of adjectives and adverbs

1. The comparative degree of adjectives and adverbs is formed by adding -e or -ee to the adjective stem. There is no gender distinction in the comparative form of adjectives.

2. Most adjectives have the ending -ee in the comparative form:

   adjective	comparative
   красивый	красивее
   быстрый	быстрее
   интересный	интереснее

3. In stems that end in the consonants к, г, х, д, т, and in single syllable adjectives that end in -ст-, consonant mutation will take place in the comparative form. See Consonant mutation for more information.

4. Adjectives of this type will have the ending -e in the comparative form:

   adjective	comparative
   жаркий	жарче
   тихий	тише
   чистий	чище
   дорогой	дороже
   громкий	громче

5. There is a small number of adjectives that have irregular comparative forms. These should be memorized:

   редкий	реже
   высокий	выше
   дешёвый	дешевле
   ранный	раньше
   маленький	меньше
   долгий	дальше
   плохой	хуже
   хороший	лучше
   старый	старше
   поздный	позже
   далёкий	дальше
   большой	больше

6. When comparing two nouns, the second member of the pair will be in the genitive case when it follows immediately after the comparative adjective:

   Брат выше сестры
   Отец старше матери.

7. Another way to show comparison in Russian is with the conjunction чем. The second member of the pair will be in the nominative case:

   Брат выше, чем сестра.
   Отец старше, чем мать.