Language/Polish/Grammar/Comparative-and-Superlative
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Introduction[edit | edit source]
Welcome to the lesson on comparative and superlative adjectives and adverbs in Polish! In this lesson, you will learn how to form and use comparative and superlative forms to express comparisons and degrees of comparison in Polish sentences. This topic is an important part of mastering the Polish language and will greatly enhance your ability to communicate effectively.
Comparative and superlative forms are used to compare two or more things, and to express the highest degree of a quality. Whether you want to say that something is bigger, faster, or more beautiful, or you want to compare two things and say that one is better than the other, this lesson will provide you with the necessary tools to do so.
Let's dive into the fascinating world of comparative and superlative forms in Polish!
Forming Comparative Adjectives and Adverbs[edit | edit source]
Comparative adjectives and adverbs in Polish are formed by adding specific suffixes to the base form of the adjective or adverb. The choice of suffix depends on the gender and number of the noun being modified. Let's take a look at the different forms.
Comparative Adjectives[edit | edit source]
To form the comparative degree of an adjective in Polish, you generally add the suffix "-szy" or "-iejszy" to the base form of the adjective. The choice of suffix depends on the ending of the base form.
Here are some examples:
| Polish | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| duży (big) | doo-zhi | bigger |
| mały (small) | mah-wee | smaller |
| wysoki (tall) | vee-soh-kee | taller |
| niski (short) | nee-skee | shorter |
| piękny (beautiful) | pyen-knee | more beautiful |
| brzydki (ugly) | bzhid-kee | uglier |
Comparative Adverbs[edit | edit source]
Comparative adverbs in Polish are formed by adding the suffix "-iej" or "-eji" to the base form of the adverb. The choice of suffix depends on the ending of the base form.
Here are some examples:
| Polish | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| szybko (quickly) | shib-ko | quicker |
| powoli (slowly) | po-vo-lee | slower |
| głośno (loudly) | gwosh-no | louder |
| cicho (quietly) | chee-ho | quieter |
| dobrze (well) | doh-bzhe | better |
| źle (badly) | zhe-le | worse |
Forming Superlative Adjectives and Adverbs[edit | edit source]
Superlative adjectives and adverbs in Polish are formed by adding specific suffixes to the base form of the adjective or adverb. The choice of suffix depends on the gender and number of the noun being modified. Let's explore the different forms.
Superlative Adjectives[edit | edit source]
To form the superlative degree of an adjective in Polish, you generally add the suffix "-szy" or "-iejszy" to the base form of the adjective, followed by the appropriate ending to indicate gender and number.
Here are some examples:
| Polish | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| duży (big) | doo-zhi | biggest (masculine singular) |
| mały (small) | mah-wee | smallest (masculine singular) |
| wysoki (tall) | vee-soh-kee | tallest (masculine singular) |
| niski (short) | nee-skee | shortest (masculine singular) |
| piękny (beautiful) | pyen-knee | most beautiful (masculine singular) |
| brzydki (ugly) | bzhid-kee | ugliest (masculine singular) |
Superlative Adverbs[edit | edit source]
Superlative adverbs in Polish are formed by adding the suffix "-ie" or "-ze" to the base form of the adverb, followed by the appropriate ending to indicate gender and number.
Here are some examples:
| Polish | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| szybko (quickly) | shib-ko | fastest (masculine singular) |
| powoli (slowly) | po-vo-lee | slowest (masculine singular) |
| głośno (loudly) | gwosh-no | loudest (masculine singular) |
| cicho (quietly) | chee-ho | quietest (masculine singular) |
| dobrze (well) | doh-bzhe | best (masculine singular) |
| źle (badly) | zhe-le | worst (masculine singular) |
Irregular Comparative and Superlative Forms[edit | edit source]
While the majority of adjectives and adverbs in Polish follow regular patterns to form comparative and superlative degrees, there are some irregular forms that you need to be aware of. These irregular forms do not follow the typical suffix patterns and must be memorized.
Here are some examples of irregular comparative and superlative forms:
| Polish | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| dobry (good) | doh-bri | lepszy (better) |
| zły (bad) | zwi | gorszy (worse) |
| dużo (much) | doo-zho | więcej (more) |
| mało (little) | mah-wo | mniej (less) |
| dobrze (well) | doh-bzhe | lepiej (better) |
| źle (badly) | zhe-le | gorzej (worse) |
Using Comparative and Superlative Forms in Sentences[edit | edit source]
Now that you have learned how to form comparative and superlative adjectives and adverbs in Polish, let's explore how to use them in sentences. Comparative and superlative forms are used to compare two or more things or to express the highest degree of a quality.
Here are some examples:
- Comparative Adjectives:
- Ten dom jest większy od tamtego. (This house is bigger than that one.) - Ona jest młodsza od swojego brata. (She is younger than her brother.) - Ten obraz jest bardziej interesujący niż tamten. (This painting is more interesting than that one.)
- Comparative Adverbs:
- On biega szybciej niż ja. (He runs faster than me.) - Ona śpiewa głośniej niż wszyscy. (She sings louder than everyone.) - Oni tańczą lepiej niż my. (They dance better than us.)
- Superlative Adjectives:
- To jest największe drzewo w parku. (This is the biggest tree in the park.) - On jest najmłodszy w rodzinie. (He is the youngest in the family.) - To jest najpiękniejsza plaża, jaką kiedykolwiek widziałem. (This is the most beautiful beach I have ever seen.)
- Superlative Adverbs:
- On pisze najprawidłowiej ze wszystkich. (He writes the most correctly out of everyone.) - Ona gotuje najsmaczniej ze wszystkich. (She cooks the most deliciously out of everyone.) - Oni pracują najciężej ze wszystkich. (They work the hardest out of everyone.)
Remember to always use the appropriate form of the adjective or adverb depending on the gender and number of the noun being modified.
Conclusion[edit | edit source]
Congratulations! You have successfully learned how to form and use comparative and superlative adjectives and adverbs in Polish. This knowledge will greatly enhance your ability to express comparisons and degrees of comparison in the Polish language.
Continue to practice using comparative and superlative forms in sentences to reinforce your understanding. As you progress in your Polish language learning journey, you will become more comfortable and confident in using these forms naturally.
In the next lesson, we will explore the topic of food and dining in Polish. Get ready to expand your vocabulary and learn how to talk about common foods and eating out in Polish!
Sources[edit | edit source]
- Polish/Comparative and Superlative - Wikibooks, open books for an ...
- Polish Comparatives and Superlatives
- Comparison of Adjectives (Stopniowanie Przymiotników) - Polish ...
Other Lessons[edit | edit source]
- The Polish Alphabet
- Past Participle in Polish
- Be Polite
- Adverbs in Polish
- Possessive Case in Polish
- Definite and Indefinite Articles
- Noun Gender
- 0 to A1 Course
- Present Tense
- Conditional Mood
| ◀️ Adjective Agreement — Previous Lesson | Next Lesson — Common Foods ▶️ |