Language/Dari/Grammar/Comparatives-and-Superlatives

◀️ Describing People and Things — Previous Lesson

Next Lesson — Adverbs ▶️

Dari → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Adjectives and Adverbs → Comparatives and Superlatives

Introduction

In this lesson, we will explore the topic of comparatives and superlatives in the Dari language. Adjectives are an important part of any language, as they allow us to describe and compare things. By understanding how to form comparatives and superlatives in Dari, you will be able to express comparisons and describe things in a more precise way.

This lesson is part of the "Complete 0 to A1 Dari Course" and is designed for complete beginners who are aiming to reach the A1 level. By the end of this lesson, you will have a solid understanding of how to form and use comparative and superlative adjectives in Dari.

What are Comparatives and Superlatives?

Before we delve into the specifics of comparatives and superlatives in Dari, let's first understand what they are. Comparatives are used to compare two things or people, while superlatives are used to describe the highest degree or quality of something or someone within a group.

For example, in English, we use comparatives when we say "She is taller than him" or "This book is more interesting than that one." Superlatives, on the other hand, are used when we say "He is the tallest person in the room" or "This is the most interesting book I've ever read."

In Dari, we use specific forms of adjectives to express comparatives and superlatives. Let's explore how to form and use them in more detail.

Forming Comparatives

To form comparatives in Dari, we usually add the suffix "-tar" to the adjective. However, there are some irregular forms that we will discuss later. Let's look at some examples:

Dari	Pronunciation	English
زرد (zard)	[zærd]	yellow
زردتر (zardtar)	[zærdtær]	yellower
زردترین (zardtarin)	[zærdtærin]	yellowest

In the above example, we start with the adjective "زرد" (zard), which means "yellow." To form the comparative, we add the suffix "-tar" to the adjective, resulting in "زردتر" (zardtar), which means "yellower." To form the superlative, we add the suffix "-tarin" to the adjective, resulting in "زردترین" (zardtarin), which means "yellowest."

It's important to note that when adding the suffix "-tar" or "-tarin," we may need to make some changes to the adjective. This is because Dari has vowel harmony, which means that certain vowels cannot appear together. For example, if the adjective ends in a short vowel, we need to change it to a long vowel before adding the suffix.

Let's look at another example:

Dari	Pronunciation	English
خوب (khub)	[xʊb]	good
خوبتر (khubtar)	[xʊbtær]	better
خوبترین (khubtarin)	[xʊbtærin]	best

In this example, we start with the adjective "خوب" (khub), which means "good." To form the comparative, we add the suffix "-tar" to the adjective, resulting in "خوبتر" (khubtar), which means "better." To form the superlative, we add the suffix "-tarin" to the adjective, resulting in "خوبترین" (khubtarin), which means "best."

Forming Superlatives

To form superlatives in Dari, we usually add the suffix "-tarin" to the adjective. However, just like with comparatives, there are some irregular forms. Let's look at some examples:

Dari	Pronunciation	English
عالی (ali)	[ɑːli]	excellent
عالیتر (alitar)	[ɑːlitær]	more excellent
عالیترین (alitarin)	[ɑːlitærin]	most excellent

In the above example, we start with the adjective "عالی" (ali), which means "excellent." To form the comparative, we add the suffix "-tar" to the adjective, resulting in "عالیتر" (alitar), which means "more excellent." To form the superlative, we add the suffix "-tarin" to the adjective, resulting in "عالیترین" (alitarin), which means "most excellent."

It's important to note that some adjectives have irregular forms for comparatives and superlatives. These forms need to be memorized, as they do not follow the regular pattern. Here are some examples:

Dari	Pronunciation	English
خوب (khub)	[xʊb]	good
بهتر (behtar)	[bɛhtær]	better
بهترین (behtarin)	[bɛhtærin]	best

In this example, the adjective "خوب" (khub) has an irregular comparative form "بهتر" (behtar) and an irregular superlative form "بهترین" (behtarin). These irregular forms must be memorized, as they do not follow the regular pattern of adding the suffixes "-tar" and "-tarin."

Usage of Comparatives and Superlatives

Now that we understand how to form comparatives and superlatives in Dari, let's explore how to use them in sentences.

Comparing Two Things

When comparing two things in Dari, we use the comparative form of the adjective. Here are some examples:

• او زردتر از من است.

 (u zardtar az man ast.)
 He is yellower than me.
 

• این کتاب جالبتر از آن کتاب است.

 (in ketab jâlb-tar az ân ketab ast.)
 This book is more interesting than that book.
 

In the above examples, we use the comparative forms "زردتر" (zardtar) and "جالبتر" (jâlb-tar) to compare two things. We also use the preposition "از" (az) to indicate the comparison.

Describing the Highest Degree

When describing the highest degree or quality of something or someone within a group, we use the superlative form of the adjective. Here are some examples:

• او قدبلندترین فرد در خانواده است.

 (u qad-baland-tarin fard dar khânevâde ast.)
 He is the tallest person in the family.
 

• این رستوران خوبترین رستوران در شهر است.

 (in restorân khub-tarin restorân dar shahr ast.)
 This restaurant is the best restaurant in the city.
 

In the above examples, we use the superlative forms "قدبلندترین" (qad-balad-tarin) and "خوبترین" (khub-tarin) to describe the highest degree or quality within a group. We also use the preposition "در" (dar) to indicate the group or category being compared.

Cultural Insights

Comparatives and superlatives are used in daily conversations in Dari to express comparisons and describe things. In Afghan culture, it is common to use these forms when discussing various topics, such as food, clothing, and personal achievements. For example, when complimenting someone on their cooking skills, it is common to say "تو آشپزیت از همه خوبتره" (to âshpazi-at az hame khub-tare), which means "Your cooking is the best."

It's also interesting to note that Dari has borrowed some comparative and superlative forms from Arabic. These forms are often used in formal or poetic contexts. For example, the Arabic word "أفضل" (afdal) meaning "best" is commonly used in Dari as a superlative form.

Exercises

Now it's time to practice what you've learned! Try to complete the following exercises using comparatives and superlatives in Dari.

Exercise 1: Fill in the blanks with the appropriate comparative form of the adjective:

1. این کتاب _____ از آن کتاب است. (جالب) 2. او _____ از من است. (پرتلاش) 3. این ماشین _____ از آن ماشین است. (گران) 4. او _____ از تمامی دوستان است. (خوشحال) 5. این شهر _____ از شهر دیگری است. (پرجمعیت)

Exercise 2: Fill in the blanks with the appropriate superlative form of the adjective:

1. او _____ فرد در خانواده است. (قدبلند) 2. این رستوران _____ رستوران در شهر است. (خوب) 3. او _____ دانش‌آموز در کلاس است. (هوشمند) 4. این کتاب _____ کتابی است که تا به حال خوانده‌ای. (جالب) 5. این شهر _____ شهر در کشور است. (زیبا)

Solutions

Exercise 1: 1. این کتاب جالب‌تر از آن کتاب است. 2. او پرتلاش‌تر از من است. 3. این ماشین گران‌تر از آن ماشین است. 4. او خوش‌حال‌تر از تمامی دوستان است. 5. این شهر پرجمعیت‌تر از شهر دیگری است.

Exercise 2: 1. او قدبلندترین فرد در خانواده است. 2. این رستوران خوبترین رستوران در شهر است. 3. او هوشمندترین دانش‌آموز در کلاس است. 4. این کتاب جالب‌ترین کتابی است که تا به حال خوانده‌ای. 5. این شهر زیباترین شهر در کشور است.

Conclusion

In this lesson, we have explored the topic of comparatives and superlatives in the Dari language. We have learned how to form comparatives and superlatives using suffixes and irregular forms. We have also seen how to use comparatives and superlatives in sentences to compare two things and describe the highest degree within a group.

By understanding and practicing the usage of comparatives and superlatives, you will be able to express comparisons and describe things more accurately in Dari. Keep practicing and incorporating these forms into your conversations to further enhance your language skills.

Table of Contents - Dari Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Greetings and Introductions

• Basic Greetings
• Introducing Yourself

  ---

Pronouns and Verbs

• Personal Pronouns
• Basic Verb Conjugation

  ---

Numbers and Time

• Numbers 1-20
• Telling Time

  ---

Nouns and Articles

• Noun Gender and Plurals
• Definite and Indefinite Articles

  ---

Family and Relationships

• Family Members
• Relationships

  ---

Adjectives and Adverbs

• Describing People and Things
• Comparatives and Superlatives
• Adverbs

  ---

Food and Dining

• Common Food Items
• Eating Out

  ---

Prepositions and Conjunctions

• Basic Prepositions
• Conjunctions

  ---

Dari-speaking Countries and Traditions

• Afghanistan and Iran
• Holidays and Celebrations

  ---

Travel and Transportation

• Modes of Transportation
• Travel-related Vocabulary

  ---

Questions and Negations

• Asking Questions
• Negation

  ---

Weather and Seasons

• Weather Vocabulary
• Seasons

  ---

Past and Future Tenses

• Past Tense
• Future Tense

  ---

Dari Literature and Media

• Famous Dari Writers
• Dari Media

Other Lessons

• Adverbs
• Definite and Indefinite Articles
• Nouns
• Basic Prepositions
• Negation
• Pronouns
• How to Use Have
• Describing People and Things
• 0 to A1 Course

◀️ Describing People and Things — Previous Lesson

Next Lesson — Adverbs ▶️