Adjectives: Positive, Comparative, Superlative In Latin, as in English, adjectives are said to have three Degrees: (1) Positive – Adjective (2) Comparative – More [Adjective], [Adjective]er (3) Superlative – Most [Adjective], [Adjective]est The Degree of an adjective tell us the Degree to which a noun possesses a particular attribute: whether with no reference to another noun (Positive); more than another noun (Comparative); or the most out of a group of nouns (Superlative).

Adjectives: Positive, Comparative, Superlative In Latin, as in English, the Comparative and Superlative forms of an adjective are formed by adding a suffix onto the root: Exempla: PositiveComparativeSuperlative TallTallerTallest FastFasterFastest IntelligentMore IntelligentMost Intelligent GoodBetterBest

I. Comparative Adjectives The Comparative Degree of an adjective in Latin is formed according to the following formula: Comparative = Stem + ior, ior, ius The Comparative is ALWAYS an Adjective of the 3 rd Declension, but uses 3 rd Declension noun endings. The Comparative Adjective is translated according to the following formula: Comparative = More [Adjective], [Adjective]er NB: The Latin suffix –ior and the English suffix –er are cognate with one another.

I. Comparative Adjectives Comparative = Stem + ior, ior, ius Laetus, a, um  Stem = laet MFN LaetiorLaetiorLaetius LaetiorisLaetiorisLaetioris LaetioriLaetioriLaetiori LaetioremLaetioremLaetius LaetioreLaetioreLaetiore LaetioresLaetioresLaetiora LaetiorumLaetiorumLaetiorum LaetioribusLaetioribusLaetioribus LaetioresLaetioresLaetiora LaetioribusLaetioribusLaetioribus

I. Comparative Adjectives Comparative = Stem + ior, ior, ius Pulcher, Pulchra, Pulchrum  Stem = pulchr MFN PulchriorPulchriorPulchrius PulchriorisPulchriorisPulchrioris PulchrioriPulchrioriPulchriori PulchrioremPulchrioremPulchrius PulchriorePulchriorePulchriore PulchrioresPulchrioresPulchriora PulchriorumPulchriorumPulchriorum PulchrioribusPulchrioribusPulchrioribus PulchrioresPulchrioresPulchriora PulchrioribusPulchrioribusPulchrioribus

I. Comparative Adjectives Comparative = Stem + ior, ior, ius Felix, Felicis  Stem = felic MFN FeliciorFeliciorFelicius FeliciorisFeliciorisFelicioris FelicioriFelicioriFeliciori FelicioremFelicioremFelicius FelicioreFelicioreFeliciore FelicioresFelicioresFeliciora FeliciorumFeliciorumFeliciorum FelicioribusFelicioribusFelicioribus FelicioresFelicioresFeliciora FelicioribusFelicioribusFelicioribus

I. Comparative Adjectives Comparative = Stem + ior, ior, ius Fortis, is, e  Stem = fort MFN FortiorFortiorFortius FortiorisFortiorisFortioris FortioriFortioriFortiori FortioremFortioremFortius FortioreFortioreFortiore FortioresFortioresFortiora FortiorumFortiorumFortiorum FortioribusFortioribusFortioribus FortioresFortioresFortiora FortioribusFortioribusFortioribus

I. Comparative Adjectives Comparative = Stem + ior, ior, ius Acer, Acris, Acre  Stem = acr MFN AcriorAcriorAcrius AcriorisAcriorisAcrioris AcrioriAcrioriAcriori AcrioremAcrioremAcrius AcrioreAcrioreAcriore AcrioresAcrioresAcriora AcriorumAcriorumAcriorum AcrioribusAcrioribusAcrioribus AcrioresAcrioresAcriora AcrioribusAcrioribusAcrioribus

I. Comparative Adjectives Comparative = Stem + ior, ior, ius Celer, Celeris, Celere  Stem = celer MFN CeleriorCeleriorCelerius CeleriorisCeleriorisCelerioris CelerioriCelerioriCeleriori CelerioremCelerioremCelerius CelerioreCelerioreCeleriore CelerioresCelerioresCeleriora CeleriorumCeleriorumCeleriorum CelerioribusCelerioribusCelerioribus CelerioresCelerioresCeleriora CelerioribusCelerioribusCelerioribus

I. Comparative Adjectives NB: (1) Most adjectives ending in –eus (and some ending in –ius) form their Comparative Degree by using the adverb magis, ‘more,’ with the adjective. Exemplum: Idoneus, a, um – suitable  magis idoneus – more suitable

I. Comparative Adjectives: Object of Comparison NB: (2) When the Comparative Adjective is used, Latin can express the object of the comparison in one of two ways: (1) quam – the adverb ‘quam’ means ‘than.’ The object of comparison goes in the same case as the noun modified by the Comparative. (2) Ablative of Comparison – the object of comparison goes in the Ablative case. ‘quam’ is not used.

I. Comparative Adjectives: Object of Comparison Exempla: Frater altior quam ego est. Frater altior me est. Maiores hostes ferociores quam illos pugnaverunt. Maiores hostes ferociores illis pugnaverunt.

I. Comparative Adjectives: Object of Comparison Exempla: Frater altior quam ego est. Frater altior me est. My brother is taller than me. Maiores hostes ferociores quam illos pugnaverunt. Maiores hostes ferociores illis pugnaverunt. Our ancestors fought enemy fiercer than these.

II. Superlative Adjectives The Superlative Degree of an adjective in Latin is formed according to the following formula: Superlative = Stem + issimus, a, um The Superlative is ALWAYS an adjective of the 1 st and 2 nd Delcension. The Superlative Adjective is translated according to the following formula: Superlative = Most [Adjective], [Adjective]est NB: The Latin suffix –issimus and the English suffix –est are cognate with one another.

II. Superlative Adjectives Superlative = Stem + issimus, a, um laetus, a, um  Stem = laet MFN LaetissimusLaetissimaLaetissimum LaetissimiLaetissimaeLaetissimi LaetissimoLaetissimaeLaetissimo LaetissimumLaetissimamLaetissimum LaetissimoLaetissimaLaetissimo LaetissimiLaetissimaeLaetissima LaetissimorumLaetissimarumLaetissimorum LaetissimisLaetissimisLaetissimis LaetissimosLaetissimasLaetissima LaetissimisLaetissimisLaetissimis

II. Superlative Adjectives Superlative = Stem + issimus, a, um Felix, Felicis  Stem = felic MFN FelicissimusFelicissimaFelicissimum FelicissimiFelicissimaeFelicissimi FelicissimoFelicissimaeFelicissimo FelicissimumFelicissimamFelicissimum FelicissimoFelicissimaFelicissimo FelicissimiFelicissimaeFelicissima FelicissimorumFelicissimarumFelicissimorum FelicissimisFelicissimisFelicissimis FelicissimosFelicissimasFelicissima FelicissimisFelicissimisFelicissimis

II. Superlative Adjectives Superlative = Stem + issimus, a, um Fortis, is, e  Stem = fort MFN FortissimusFortissimaFortissimum FortissimiFortissimaeFortissimi FortissimoFortissimaeFortissimo FortissimumFortissimamFortissimum FortissimoFortissimaFortissimo FortissimiFortissimaeFortissima FortissimorumFortissimarumFortissimorum FortissimisFortissimisFortissimis FortissimosFortissimasFortissima FortissimisFortissimisFortissimis

II. Superlative Adjectives –er Stems NB: Superlative of –er Stems = Stem + rimus, a, um Pulcher, Pulchra, Pulchrum  Stem = Pulcher MFN PulcherrimusPulcherrimaPulcherrimum PulcherrimiPulcherrimaePulcherrimi PulcherrimoPulcherrimaePulcherrimo PulcherrimumPulcherrimamPulcherrimum PulcherrimoPulcherrimaPulcherrimo PulcherrimiPulcherrimaePulcherrima PulcherrimorumPulcherrimarumPulcherrimorum PulcherrimisPulcherrimisPulcherrimis PulcherrimosPulcherrimasPulcherrima PulcherrimisPulcherrimisPulcherrimis

II. Superlative Adjectives –er Stems NB: Superlative of –er Stems = Stem + rimus, a, um Acer, Acris, Acre  Stem = acer MFN AcerrimusAcerrimaAcerrimum AcerrimiAcerrimaeAcerrimi AcerrimoAcerrimaeAcerrimo AcerrimumAcerrimamAcerrimum AcerrimoAcerrimaAcerrimo AcerrimiAcerrimaeAcerrima AcerrimourmAcerrimarumAcerrimorum AcerrimisAcerrimisAcerrimis AcerrimosAcerrimasAcerrima AcerrimisAcerrimisAcerrimis

II. Superlative Adjectives –er Stems NB: Superlative of –er Stems = Stem + rimus, a, um Celer, Celeris, Celere  Stem = celer MFN CelerrimusCelerrimaCelerrimum CelerrimiCelerrimaeCelerrimi CelerrimoCelerrimaeCelerrimo CelerrimumCelerrimamCelerrimum CelerrimoCelerrimaCelerrimo CelerrimiCelerrimaeCelerrima CelerrimorumCelerrimarumCelerrimorum CelerrimisCelerrimisCelerrimis CelerrimosCelerrimasCelerrima CelerrimisCelerrimisCelerrimis

II. Superlative Adjectives –lis Stems NB: Six adjectives ending in –lis form their Superlative by adding –limus to the stem: PositiveComparativeSuperlative Facilis, is, eFacilior, ior, iusFacillimus, a, um Difficilis, is, eDifficilior, ior, iusDifficillimus, a, um Similis, is, eSimilior, ior, iusSimillimus, a, um Dissimilis, is, eDissimilior, ior, iusDissimillimus, a, um Gracilis, is, eGracilior, ior, iusGracillimus, a, um Humilis, is, eHumilior, ior, iusHumillimus, a, um Other –lis adjectives form their Superlative regularly.

II. Superlative Adjectives NB: (1) Adjectives that form their Comparative using the adverb ‘magis’ form their Superlative using the adverb ‘maxime,’ ‘most.’ Exemplum: Idoneus, a, um – suitable  maxime idoneus – most suitable

II. Superlative Adjectives NB: (2) The adverb ‘quam’ + the Superlative is translated as ‘as [adjective] as possible.’ Exempla: quam fortissimus as brave as possible quam celerrimus as quick as possible

III. Irregular Comparatives and Superlatives Several adjectives form their Comparative and Superlative Degrees irregularly. Although the stems of these Comparative and Superlatives are irregular, nonetheless they decline according to the regular pattern of Comparatives and Superlatives. The following six adjectives are the most common adjectives which have irregular Comparative and Superlative forms:

III. Irregular Comparatives and Superlatives PositiveComparativeSuperlative Bonus, a, umMelior, ior, iusOptimus, a, um GoodBetterBest Malus, a, umPeior, ior, iusPessimus, a, um BadWorseWorst Magnus, a, umMaior, ior, iusMaximus, a, um Great, LargeGreater, LargerGreatest, Largest Parvus, a, umMinor, Minor, MinusMinimus, a, um SmallSmallerSmallest Multus, a, umPlus, Pluris (neuter)Plurimus, a, um MuchMoreMost Multi, ae, aPlures, es, aPlurimi, ae, a ManyMoreMost

III. Irregular Comparatives and Superlatives The following adjectives also form their Comparative and Superlative Degrees irregularly, but are not very common: PositiveComparativeSuperlative Nequam (indec.)Nequior, ior, iusNequissimus, a, um WorthlessMore WorthlessMost Worthless FrugiFrugalior, ior, iusFrugalissimus, a, um UsefulMore UsefulMost Useful Dexter, ra, rumDexterior, ior, iusDextimus, a, um HandyMore HandyMost Handy