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:
    adjectivecomparative
    красивыйкрасивее
    быстрыйбыстрее
    интересныйинтереснее
  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:
    adjectivecomparative
    жаркийжарче
    тихийтише
    чистийчище
    дорогойдороже
    громкийгромче
  5. There is a small number of adjectives that have irregular comparative forms. These should be memorized:
    adjectivecomparative
    редкийреже
    высокийвыше
    дешёвыйдешевле
    ранныйраньше
    маленькийменьше
    долгийдальше
    плохойхуже
    хорошийлучше
    старыйстарше
    поздныйпозже
    далёкийдальше
    большойбольше
  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.

Copyright ©. George Mitrevski. Auburn University. e-mail:mitrege@auburn.edu