Comparative degree of adjectives and adverbs
- 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.
- Most adjectives have the ending -ee in the comparative form:
| adjective | comparative |
| красивый | красивее |
| быстрый | быстрее |
| интересный | интереснее |
- 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.
- 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 |
- There is a small number of adjectives that have irregular
comparative forms. These should be memorized:
| adjective | comparative |
| редкий | реже |
| высокий | выше |
| дешёвый | дешевле |
| ранный | раньше |
| маленький | меньше |
| долгий | дальше |
| плохой | хуже |
| хороший | лучше |
| старый | старше |
| поздный | позже |
| далёкий | дальше |
| большой | больше |
- 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.
- 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.