Degrees of comparison are a variable morphological feature of qualitative adjectives. There are different forms of positive, comparative and superlative degrees: new - newer - newest; warm - more/less warm - the warmest.
The initial form is a positive degree, naming a feature without correlating it with homogeneous features of other objects (new house); from it, by adding inflectional suffixes or auxiliary words, simple and compound forms of comparative and superlative degrees are formed.
The comparative degree indicates that the designated attribute is characteristic of a given object to a greater extent than for another object (or for the same object, but in a different period of time): Our apple tree is taller than the neighbor’s; Today this girl was more talkative than yesterday.
The simple form of the comparative degree is formed by adding to the base of the adjective the inflectional suffixes -ee/-ee, -e, as well as the non-productive suffix -she: warm - warmer, warmer (colloquial); loud - louder; thin - thinner. The form deeper (from deep) uses the suffix -zhe. If there is a suffix ‑k- or ‑ok- at the end of the stem, it is often truncated: low - lower; distant - further. From the adjectives small, bad, good, the comparative forms are formed by changing the root: less, worse, better. In colloquial speech, the prefix po- is often added to the simple form of the comparative degree, meaning the incompleteness of the manifestation of the attribute (`a little`): older - older, less - less.
Often the formation of a simple form of the comparative degree is prevented by the lexical meaning of a word; for example, it is not formed from adjectives with an “absolute” qualitative meaning such as deaf, bald, dead, blind, or from adjectives denoting the speaker’s subjective assessment of the attribute: enormous, blue.
The compound form of the comparative degree is formed using the auxiliary words more, less: more beautiful, less loud. The meaning of this form is broader than the meaning of forms of the louder type, since not only a greater, but also a lesser degree of intensity of the attribute is expressed (the simple form of the comparative degree indicates only a greater degree of the attribute).
The syntactic functions of the compound form are also wider than those of the simple comparative form. The simple form is usually part of a compound predicate: This essay was more meaningful than the previous one. The compound form can perform the functions of not only a predicate, but also a definition: This time the student wrote a more meaningful essay. The compound form can be formed from almost any qualitative adjective, but is perceived as a somewhat bookish form and is used less often in colloquial speech than the simple comparative form.
The superlative degree of adjectives indicates that the attribute of an object, denoted by this form, is presented in its maximum manifestation, to the highest degree compared to the same attribute in other compared objects: the smartest student in the class, the brightest room, or for this object in other periods of its existence: Today workers received their highest wages in six months.
Superlatives can also be simple or compound. The simple form is formed by adding to the base of the adjective the inflectional suffix -eysh-: beautiful - the most beautiful or -aysh- (the latter suffix is attached only to the stems on k, g, x): thin - the thinnest. The prefix nai- is often added to this form: the most beautiful, the thinnest. From the adjectives small, bad, good, the superlative form is formed by changing the root: smaller, worse, better.
The superlative compound form is formed in several ways:
1) by adding to the form of the positive degree the auxiliary word most: the smartest;
2) by adding to the form of the positive degree the auxiliary words most, least: most intelligent, least capable;
3) by adding to the simple form of the comparative degree the auxiliary word all (if the characterized object is inanimate) or all (if the characterized object is animate): The smartest thing was the investigation conducted by a private detective; The student Ivanov turned out to be the most capable.
The most common compound form is the most intelligent type, used as both a predicate and a definition. Forms like smartest/all are used only as a predicate. Forms of the most/least capable type have the broadest meaning, denoting both the highest and lowest degree of manifestation of a trait, however, these forms are used primarily in book speech (in business, scientific, newspaper and journalistic styles).
Modern Russian literary language / Ed. P. A. Lekanta - M., 2009
Adjectives and adverbs in many languages of the world have degrees of comparison. In English these are Positive Degree, Comparative Degree and Superlative degree, in Polish - rywny, wyższy, najwyższy, in French - le positif, le comparatif, le superlatif. The Russian language is no exception; it has positive, comparative and superlative adjectives. How are they different and what are their forms?
Degrees of comparison: types, table
Adjectives and adverbs derived from them have the ability to form degrees of comparison.
There are three of them:
- Positive.
- Comparative.
- Excellent.
Each of them expresses a different level of possession of an object or a specific specific quality.
For example: resourceful boy ( positive), however he can be more resourceful ( comparative), and in a certain life situation, even become the most resourceful ( excellent).
From which adjectives can we form degrees of comparison?
As you know, all adjectives in the Russian language are divided into several categories.
- Qualitative - means characteristics that an object or living creature can possess in different degrees: sweet, sweeter, sweetest.
- Relative - they call the signs of an object or living creature according to their relation to circumstances, actions or other persons, things: a telephone call, a wooden building.
- Possessive - indicate that something belongs to someone: Pushkin’s stanza, father’s parting words.
Only from the first category can the comparative and superlative degrees of adjectives be formed (charming - more charming, the most charming), since it is impossible to say: “a more wooden building” or “the most Pushkin stanza.”
Adverbs that come from the qualitative category of adjectives can also form degrees of comparison: cheerful - cheerfully (more cheerfully).
Comparative degree of adjectives in Russian
Before moving on to consider the comparative degree, it is worth mentioning a little about the positive degree. This is the name given to the initial degree of comparison (boring). In fact, it is considered only formally as a degree of comparison. But the next one is the comparative degree of the adjective (more boring, more boring). It serves to show that a certain object or person has a given quality in greater/lesser quantity than someone/something else. For example: “This tea is stronger (stronger) than the one we drank yesterday.”
Information about comparative forms
In the example above, you can see that the comparative degree in Russian can be formed in the following ways: using suffixes or by adding an additional word (in this example it is “more”). It turns out that we can distinguish 2 forms of the comparative degree of adjectives in the Russian language: simple and compound, or as it is sometimes called - complex.
Methods for forming a simple shape
There are several ways to form it.
- Using the suffixes -ee, -ey, -e, -she, added to the base: cheerful - more cheerful. However, it is worth remembering that if suffixes of the comparative degree of adjectives -e, -she are used, then alternation of consonants in the root of the word may occur, and the suffixes -k, -ok, -ek may be eliminated altogether. For example: narrow - narrower, ringing - louder.
- Sometimes a simple form can be formed by adding the same -ee, -ey, -e, -she, as well as the prefix po-. For example: soon - quickly, quickly - quickly. Adjectives formed in this way are usually the province of colloquial speech.
- Sometimes the comparative degree of adjectives in Russian is formed using a different word stem: bad - worse.
It is worth remembering that not every qualitative adjective can form a simple form. It so happened historically that it is simply impossible to form it from some words. For example, from adjectives such as “grand” or “businesslike”. After all, you can’t say: “grower” or “more businesslike.”
Unlike the positive, the simple comparative degree has no ending and does not change. For example, the adjective “light” changes according to gender and number: “light”, “light”, “light”, etc. In addition, it is declined according to cases. But the comparative degree of the adjective - “lighter” - is unchanged.
In this form, words, as a rule, perform the syntactic role of a predicate: “Words of love are sweeter than honey,” and in some cases they serve as definitions: “Make sweeter jam.”
Complex shape
Unlike the simple one, it is formed not with the help of suffixes or prefixes, but by adding the words “more” or “less” to the adjective in the positive degree. For example: “Rembrandt was a more brilliant artist than most of his contemporaries, but he was truly appreciated years after his death.”
Adjectives in complex form are declined by case, change by number and, accordingly, by gender, while “more” and “less” remain unchanged. For example: more powerful (powerful, powerful, powerful).
Both in simple and compound form, comparative adjectives in a sentence serve as predicates or modifiers: “Their relationship was closer and more elevated than that of anyone around them.”
Having considered the information about the comparative degree, it is now worth moving on to studying the superlative degree. And it will help you not to forget how the comparative degree of adjectives is formed - the table.
It briefly outlines all the information about simple and complex forms and their formation.
Brief information about superlatives
It serves to demonstrate that a certain object or living being is absolutely superior to any other in a certain quality, which is represented in it to the highest degree.
For example: “The third little pig’s house was the strongest and the wolf could not destroy it.”
A little about superlatives
Knowledge of how simple and complex comparative degrees of adjectives are formed will help you understand this topic. In the case of the superlative degree, both of its forms have similar names: simple and compound (complex) and are formed according to the corresponding principle.
They are formed according to the same principle:
- The simple one is formed by adding the suffixes -eysh, -aysh to the stem: caring - caring. Similar to the comparative, the superlative may also lose the stem suffix -k: low, lowest. A word formed using a simple superlative form is declined according to cases and changes according to numbers and genders. While the comparative degree of an adjective in a simple form is devoid of this property. For example: “light”. As mentioned above, in comparative form it is invariably “lighter”. But in the superlative degree - “brightest”, it can change: “brightest”, “brightest”.
- The compound form is formed by adding the words "most", "least" or "most" ("most", "most", "most") to the adjective in the positive degree. For example: the brightest, the least entertaining, the funniest. In some cases, the comparative degree of the adjective plus the word “all” may also participate in the formation. For example: “This girl completed the task faster than anyone in the class.” As with the comparative form, the superlative adjective changes according to the same categories. And the additional words: “most” or “least” remain unchanged: “The wolf ran the shortest route to Grandma’s house and got ahead of Little Red Riding Hood.” However, “most” also changes: “The wolf ran the shortest route to Grandma’s house and got ahead of Little Red Riding Hood.”
As for the syntactic role, adjectives in this degree, as a rule, act as predicates: “A most amazing journey.” Less often - definitions: “It was a story about an amazing journey.” And in complex form, they most often serve as definitions: “He was smarter than everyone else at school.”
Superlative and comparative degrees of adjectives: exercises to consolidate knowledge
To better remember all the material presented, you should practice by doing a few fairly simple exercises.
The topic of comparative degrees of adjectives itself is quite easy. However, in order to avoid mistakes, it is worth remembering the basic rules, especially since in most European languages adjectives also have 3 degrees of comparison. Therefore, having figured out what they are in Russian, you can safely take on the study of the grammar of foreign languages.
Qualitative adjectiveshave degrees of comparison. They express a greater or lesser degree of quality in a given item compared to another item.
For example: (My house is more beautiful than your house). sometimes the comparison is made within the same object (increase or decrease) at different periods of its development, i.e. at the present moment, compared to his past state.
For example: (Demand for the product has become higher than last year).
Adjectives have two degrees of comparison:
comparative;
excellent.
1.Comparative degree of adjective means that some characteristic is manifested to a greater or lesser extent in one object than in another.
For example: I'm happier than you. Your briefcase is heavier than mine. My dog is smarter than yours.
The comparative degree is:
A) simple
B) difficult
A) Simple comparative degree formed using suffixes:
“her”(s): For example: handsome - more beautiful, smart - smarter, cold - colder;
"e" (with or without alternation of the last consonant of the base):
For example: big - larger, short - shorter, sweet - sweeter;
“she”: For example: old – older, young – younger.
Sometimes a different root is used to form the comparative degree of an adjective.
Good is better, bad is worse, small is smaller.
Adjectives in the simple comparative form do not change and have no endings!
B) Complex comparative degree is formed from the full form of the positive degree of the adjective using the particles more and less.
Big – more (less) big, beautiful – more (less) beautiful.
2) Superlative adjectives.
The superlative degree shows that some attribute is manifested in a given object to the greatest extent, compared with the same attribute in other similar objects.
This is my best game; He is the smartest boy in the class.
Superlatives are:
A) simple
B) difficult
The superlative degree of an adjective can change according to gender, number and case.
(We have approached the highest mountains).
A) Simple superlative is formed using the suffixes “eysh”, “aysh”.
For example: The stupidest, the deepest, the rarest, the closest
Sometimes a different root is used to form the superlative degree of an adjective.
For example: Good is the best, bad is the worst.
B) Compound superlative is formed from the full form of the positive degree of the adjective using the particles most, most and least.
For example: Small - the smallest, the smallest, the least small, smart - the most intelligent, the most intelligent, the least intelligent.
Superlative adjectives, like full forms of positive adjectives, change according to gender, number and case.
Publication date: 01/28/2012 17:58 UTC
- Morphological analysis of the adjective in Russian.
- Full and short forms of adjectives. Declension and spelling of case forms of adjectives in Russian.
- The concept of an adjective. Morphological features of adjectives. Classes of adjectives in Russian.
Adjectives in Russian. They are indispensable when it is necessary to compare one characteristic of an object or phenomenon with another. Let's try to understand the intricacies of this topic.
Adjective
Before you start studying the topic “Degrees of comparison of adjectives in the Russian language,” you need to find out how this part of speech differs from all others. And it really has a lot of features. It is difficult to imagine our speech without this colorful, graceful group. With the help of adjectives we describe appearance (short, handsome, homely), character (kind, grumpy, difficult), age (young, elderly). However, not only human qualities, but also many other things can be represented with their help. For example, not a single work of art can do without the use of adjectives. And even more so the lyrics. Thanks to this part of speech, stories, poems, novels acquire expressiveness and imagery.
Helps to form such artistic means as epithets (dazzling beauty, wonderful morning), metaphors - heart of stone), comparisons (looks like the happiest; the sky is like azure watercolor).
A distinctive feature of adjectives is their ability to form short forms. The latter always play the role of a predicate in a sentence, which gives this part of speech another advantage - it gives dynamics to any text.
What is a degree?
Anyone who studies the Russian language faces this question. Degrees of comparison of adjectives are a characteristic that helps to compare one object with another.
For example, there are two balls in front of us. They are exactly the same, only one of them is slightly different in size. We need to compare them with each other and draw a conclusion: one ball more another. We can approach this issue from the other side and note that one ball less than the second one. In both cases, we used a word that characterizes the degree of comparison of these objects.
Now let’s add to our items another one of the same kind, but much larger. We need to differentiate it from others. How will we do this? Of course, use comparison. Only now you need to indicate that the third ball is immediately different from the first and second. In this case we will say that he biggest among them.
This is precisely why we need them. We will describe each of their types in detail below.
Comparative degree
When we have an adjective in front of us that no one compares with anything, it is characterized by a positive degree. But if one object needs to be compared with another, then we will use the comparative degree of the adjective.
It has two subspecies. The first is called simple, or suffixal. This means that the word used in this degree has a suffix characteristic of it.
For example: This table chic. Neighbor's table more luxurious ours.
In the first case, the adjective is in the positive degree. In the second, the suffix “ee” was added to it and with the help of this they compared one table with another.
The second type is the composite degree. As the name suggests, its formation occurs not with the help of morphemes, but with the use of special words.
For example: This project is very successful. The last project was more successful.
The word "more" helps us compare one project to another.
Another example: We received valuable information. The previous one turned out to be less valuable.
Now, using the word “less”, we indicated a feature that manifested itself to a lesser extent.
It is worth remembering that degrees of comparison of adjectives in the Russian language, regardless of variety, are formed only from Neither possessive nor relative have this ability.
Superlative
In some situations, we need not just to compare one object or phenomenon with another, but to distinguish it from all others similar to it. And here the degrees of comparison of adjectives in Russian will also come to our aid. This degree of comparison is called excellent, which already implies the highest limit.
Like comparative, it has two varieties.
Using suffixes, a simple degree is formed.
For example: Ivanov strongest of all the athletes on the team.
The word “strong” with the suffix -eysh- formed and distinguished the athlete Ivanov from other members of the national team.
Next example: New tulle the most beautiful from those that I have seen.
In this case, the auxiliary word “most” gave this sentence the same meaning as in the previous example. This form is called compound.
Sometimes it can be accompanied by the prefix nai- for emphasis: the most beautiful.
Peculiarities
In some cases, forms of degrees of comparison of adjectives have exceptions.
These include the words “good” and “bad.” When we start to compare objects with their help, we will encounter some difficulties.
For example: We held good evening. Let's try to form a chain of degrees of comparison.
In a simple comparative we will see that the word “good” does not exist. It is replaced by “better.” And for the word “bad” we’ll choose “worse”. This phenomenon in Russian is called suppletivism of fundamentals. This means that the word needs to change radically to form the comparative degree.
Conclusion
Thus, we managed to find out not only the basics, but also some nuances on the topic “Degrees of comparison of adjectives in the Russian language.”
Now this rule will not cause you any difficulties, since it is not at all complicated.
Adjectives and adverbs in many languages of the world have degrees of comparison. In English these are Positive Degree, Comparative Degree and Superlative degree, in Polish – rywny, wyższy, najwyższy, in French – le positif, le comparatif, le superlatif. The Russian language is no exception; it has positive, comparative and superlative adjectives. How are they different and what are their forms?
Degrees of comparison: types, table
Adjectives and adverbs derived from them have the ability to form degrees of comparison.There are three of them:
- Positive.Comparative.Excellent.
From which adjectives can we form degrees of comparison?
As you know, all adjectives in the Russian language are divided into several categories.
- Qualitative - means attributes that an object or living being can possess in different degrees: sweet, sweeter, sweetest. Relative - they name the attributes of an object or living being in their relation to circumstances, actions or other persons, things: a telephone call, a wooden building. Possessive - indicate that something belongs to someone: Pushkin’s stanza, father’s parting words.
Adverbs that come from the qualitative category of adjectives can also form degrees of comparison: cheerful - cheerfully (more cheerfully).
Comparative degree of adjectives in Russian
Before moving on to consider the comparative degree, it is worth mentioning a little about the positive degree. This is the name given to the initial degree of comparison (boring). In fact, it is considered only formally as a degree of comparison. But the next one is the comparative degree of the adjective (more boring, more boring). It serves to show that a certain object or person has a given quality in greater/lesser quantity than someone/something else. For example: “This tea is stronger (stronger) than the one we drank yesterday.”Information about comparative forms
In the example above, you can see that the comparative degree in Russian can be formed in the following ways: using suffixes or by adding an additional word (in this example it is “more”). It turns out that we can distinguish 2 forms of the comparative degree of adjectives in the Russian language: simple and compound, or as it is sometimes called, complex.Methods for forming a simple shape
There are several ways to form it.- Using the suffixes -ee, -ey, -e, -she, added to the base: cheerful - more cheerful. However, it is worth remembering that if suffixes of the comparative degree of adjectives -e, -she are used, then alternation of consonants in the root of the word may occur, and the suffixes -k, -ok, -ek may be eliminated altogether. For example: narrow - narrower, voiced - louder. Sometimes a simple form can be formed by adding the same -ee, -ey, -e, -she, as well as the prefix po-. For example: soon - quickly, quickly - quickly. Adjectives formed in this way, as a rule, are the province of colloquial speech. Sometimes the comparative degree of adjectives in the Russian language is formed using a different word stem: bad - worse.
Complex shape
Unlike the simple one, it is formed not with the help of suffixes or prefixes, but by adding the words “more” or “less” to the adjective in the positive degree. For example: “Rembrandt was a more brilliant artist than most of his contemporaries, but he was truly appreciated years after his death.” Adjectives in complex form are inflected by case, change by number and accordingly by gender, while “more” and "less" remain unchanged. For example: more powerful (powerful, powerful, powerful). Both in simple form and in compound form, comparative adjectives in a sentence serve as predicates or definitions: “Their relationship was closer and more elevated than that of anyone around them.” .Having considered the information about the comparative degree, it is now worth moving on to studying the superlative degree. And it will help you not to forget how the comparative degree of adjectives is formed - the table. It briefly outlines all the information about simple and complex forms and their formation.
Brief information about superlatives
It serves to demonstrate that a certain object or living being is absolutely superior to any other in a certain quality, which is represented in it to the highest degree.For example: “The third little pig’s house was the strongest and the wolf could not destroy it.”
A little about superlatives
Knowledge of how simple and complex comparative degrees of adjectives are formed will help you understand this topic. In the case of the superlative degree, both of its forms have similar names: simple and compound (complex) and are formed according to the corresponding principle.
They are formed according to the same principle:
- The simple one is formed by adding the suffixes -eysh, -aysh to the stem: caring – most caring. Similar to the comparative, the superlative may also have the stem suffix -k: low, lowest. A word formed using a simple superlative form is declined according to cases and changes according to numbers and genders. While the comparative degree of an adjective in a simple form is devoid of this property. For example: “light”. As mentioned above, in comparative form it is invariably “lighter”. But in the superlative degree - “brightest”, it can change: “brightest”, “brightest”. The compound (complex) form is formed by adding the words “most”, “least” or “most” (“most”, “most”, “ most") to an adjective in the positive degree. For example: the brightest, the least entertaining, the funniest. In some cases, the comparative degree of the adjective plus the word “all” may also participate in the formation. For example: “This girl completed the task faster than anyone in the class.” As with the comparative form, the superlative adjective changes according to the same categories. And the additional words: “most” or “least” remain unchanged: “The wolf ran the shortest route to Grandma’s house and got ahead of Little Red Riding Hood.” However, “most” also changes: “The wolf ran the shortest route to Grandma’s house and got ahead of Little Red Riding Hood.”
Superlative and comparative degrees of adjectives: exercises to consolidate knowledge
To better remember all the material presented, you should practice by doing a few fairly simple exercises.- In this task you need to form all possible forms of degrees according to the model: attractive, more attractive, more attractive, most attractive, most attractive, most attractive. In this exercise, you need to select both superlative forms of the adjective, mark the suffixes and underline the alternating letters, according to the patterns. In this task you need to find errors and explain. 1. Petrov is the best player in the entire team. 2. Things were getting worse in our company. 3. The air in the room became increasingly heavier. 4. Our enterprise turned out to be more successful. 5. Natasha’s shoes are cheaper than Sveta’s. In this exercise, you need to compare 2 objects of different properties, according to the example: French language and German (euphonious). – The French language is more euphonious than German. 1. Autumn and winter (warm). 2. Masha’s closet and Dima’s closet (convenient). 3. Laptop and smartphone (expensive). 4. Vladimir and Maxim (serious). 5. Katya and Valya (handsome). 6. Kyiv and Lvov (young).