Language/Kazakh/Grammar/Comparative-and-Superlative-Degrees
As a Kazakh language teacher with over 20 years of experience, one important aspect of the language that I always make sure my students know is how to form and use comparative and superlative degrees of adjectives in Kazakh. In this lesson, I will take you through the rules and guidelines on how to use these degrees in Kazakh.
Comparative Degree
The comparative degree is used to compare two things or people. In Kazakh, the comparative degree is formed by adding the suffix "-п" directly to the adjective. If the word ends in a consonant, the suffix is added without any change. However, if the word ends in a vowel, then the suffix "-п" follows the consonant that precedes the vowel.
Here is an example table to illustrate the comparative degree:
| Kazakh | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| бала | bala | child |
| кіші | kishi | small |
| бөлігі | bolіgi | part |
| әдебиет | adəbıet | literature |
| ең сұлу | en sulu | the most expensive |
| кішіптеу | kishipteu | smaller than |
| бірдеңе | birdeñe | more beautiful than |
As you can see from the table above, the comparative degree is formed by adding the suffix "-п" to the end of the adjective. In addition, some adjectives add the suffix "-теу" to indicate "less than". To indicate "more than," Kazakh uses the word "бірдеңе" (birdeñe), which means "one more".
Superlative Degree
The superlative degree is used to indicate the highest degree or quality of something or someone. In Kazakh, the superlative degree is formed by adding the suffix "-тің ең" (ting en) to the adjective.
Here is an example table to illustrate the superlative degree:
| Kazakh | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| бала | bala | child |
| кіші | kishi | small |
| бөлігі | bolіgi | part |
| әдебиет | adəbıet | literature |
| ең кіші | en kishi | the smallest |
| ең үлкен | en ulken | the biggest |
| ең аса | en asa | the easiest |
As you can see from the table above, the superlative degree is formed by adding the suffix "-тің ең" to the end of the adjective. In addition, Kazakh also uses the words "ен кіші" (en kishi) and "ен үлкен" (en ulken) to mean "the smallest" and "the biggest", respectively.
When using comparative and superlative degrees in Kazakh, it is important to keep in mind the rules for forming each degree. This will help you to accurately and clearly compare and describe things or people in Kazakh.
Practice Exercise
Now, let's practice what we learned with a few exercises. For each of the following adjectives, indicate the correct comparative and superlative degrees:
- үздік (uzdik) - unique
- көп (kop) - many
- жақсы (jaksy) - good
- тәжірибелі (ta'jiribe li) - experienced
Answers:
- Comparative degree: үздікпе (uzdikpe); тәжірибеліптеу (ta'jiribe lipteu)
- Superlative degree: үздіктің ең (uzdikting en); көптің ең (kopting en); жақсылықтың ең (jaksylyktyng en); тәжірибеліліктің ең (ta'jiribe lilikting en)
Sources