1. Regular and Irregular Forms LFA 61 and 64 2012-2013
Comparing Adjectives
Regular and Irregular Forms
LFA 61 and 64

2. 3 Degrees of Adjectives! Positive: long, high, strong
Comparative: longer, higher, stronger
Superlative: longest, highest, strongest

3. How to make comparatives
Add –ior for M/F, add –ius for N
longior, longius: longer
altior, altius: higher
fortior, fortius: stronger

4. How to make superlatives
Add –issimus
Longissimus: longest
Altissimus: highest
Fortissimus: strongest

5. 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

6. 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)

7. Using Comparatives in Latin
The man is stronger than the boy.
Vir est fortior quam puer.
Comparative + quam…the 2nd noun being compared is in the same case as the 1st noun.
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.”

8. 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.

9. 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.) N (pl.)
altiores altiora
altiorum altiorum
altioribus altioribus

10. 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

11. 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!

12. Irregular Adjectives bonus, -a, -um melior, melius optimus, -a, -um
English derivatives:
ameliorate
optimist
good
better
best

13. Irregular Adjectives malus, -a, -um peior, peius pessimus, -a, -um
English derivatives:
pejorative
pessimist
bad
worse
worst

14. Irregular Adjectives magnus, -a, -um maior, maius maximus, -a, -um
Engish derivatives:
major
maximum
big, great
bigger, greater
biggest, greatest

15. Irregular Adjectives parvus, -a, -um minor, minus minimus, -a, -um
English derivatives:
minor
minimum
small
smaller
smallest

16. Irregular Adjectives multus, -a, -um
plus (nom.), pluris (gen.) + genitive noun
plurimus
much, many
more
most, very many

17. 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”)

18. 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