1. Comparison of Adjectives
Simple, simpler, simplest or complex, more complex, most complex?

2. Terminology
There are three degrees of adjectives in Latin and in English:
Positive
Comparative
Superlative
Latin example: īrātus, īrātior, īrātissimus
English example: angry, angrier, angriest

3. The Positive Degree
The positive degree refers to a basic quality of a person or thing and uses regular adjective forms.
English examples: bright, expensive
Latin examples: īrātus, brevis
The positive degree of a Latin adjective uses either first and second declension endings or third declension endings.
It is the form introduced in vocabulary.

4. The Comparative Degree
The comparative degree compares the quality of one person or thing with another and uses “-er” or “more” or “rather” with the meaning of the adjective.
English examples: brighter, more expensive
Latin examples: īrātior, brevior

5. Forming the Comparative
To form the comparative degree of a Latin adjective, first find the base of the adjective (take “-a” off of the nominative feminine singular).
Then add -ior (masc.+fem.) or -ius (neuter) to form the nominative singular.
For other cases, use the –ior base plus 3rd declension noun endings.
Example: īrātior, īrātius; brevior, brevius

6. Full comparative chart
Masc./Fem.
Neuter
Nom.
īrātior
īrātius
Gen.
īrātiōris
Dat.
īrātiōrī
Acc.
īrātiōrem
Abl.
īrātiōre
īrātiōrēs
īrātiōra
īrātiōrum
īrātiōribus

7. The Superlative Degree
The superlative degree stresses the highest degree of a quality and uses “-est” or “most” or “very” with the meaning of the adjective.
English examples: brightest, most expensive
Latin examples: īrātissimus, brevissimus

8. Forming the superlative
To form the superlative degree of a Latin adjective, take the adjective base and add –issim- plus adjective endings.
Example: īrātissimus, -a, -um
Even if an adjective is originally 3rd declension (like brevis), it will take endings in the superlative.
Exceptions with adjectives ending in –er and –lis are discussed in a later slide.

9. Full superlative chart
Masculine
Feminine
Neuter
Nom.
īrātissimus
īrātissima
īrātissimum
Gen.
īrātissimī
īrātissimae
Dat.
īrātissimō
Acc.
īrātissimam
Abl.
īrātissimā
īrātissimōrum
īrātissimārum
īrātissimīs
īrātissimōs
īrātissimās

10. Mid-point practice
Let’s form the comparative and superlative of the following:
longus
longior/longius, longissimus, -a, -um
ingēns, ingentis
ingentior/ingentius, ingentissimus, -a, -um
fēlīx, fēlīcis
fēlīcior/fēlīcius, fēlīcissimus, -a, -um

11. Now for the exceptions Adjectives ending in –er:
If the adjective loses the –er in the fem. nom. sing., it will lose the –er in the comparative.
In the superlative, always add –rimus, -a, -um instead of –issimus, -a, -um.
Example: pulcher, pulchra, pulchrum
pulchrior/pulchrius; pulcherrimus, -a, -um

12. -Lis words
With the following –lis words: facilis (easy), difficilis (hard), similis (like), dissimilis (different), gracilis (slender), and humilis (humble),
add –limus, -a, -um instead of –issimus, -a, -um in the superlative.
Examples: facillimus, -a, -um, but fidēlissimus, -a, -um

13. Exceptions Practice Please give the comp. and superlative for:
celer, celeris, celere
celerior/celerius, celerrimus, -a, -um
facilis, -e
facilior/facilius, facillimus, -a, -um
ācer, ācris, ācre
ācrior/ācrius, ācerrimus, -a, -um
ūtilis, -e
ūtilior/ūtilius, ūtilissimus, -a, -um

14. Irregular adjectives Pos. Comp. Superl. bonus melior optimus malus
peior
pessimus
magnus
maior
maximus
parvus
minor
minimus
multus
plūs
plūrimus
Just as in English (good, better, best), some Latin adjectives are compared irregularly.
Their comparative and superlative forms will need to be memorized.

15. In summary
What are the five most important concepts you need to know to be able to form and translate the positive, comparative, and superlative degrees?