Language/Slovak/Grammar/Comparison-of-Adjectives-and-Adverbs
As a Slovak language teacher with over 20 years of experience, I am excited to introduce you to the world of Slovak grammar. In this lesson, we will focus on a crucial topic: how to form comparatives and superlatives of adjectives and adverbs in Slovak. This lesson is a part of the larger course titled "Complete 0 to A1 Slovak Course," designed for complete beginners who want to learn Slovak from scratch. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to express yourself with greater precision and clarity.
Adjectives
Let's start by quickly reviewing adjectives in Slovak. These are words that describe nouns and provide additional information about them, such as their size, color, or shape. Unlike English, Slovak adjectives change their endings based on the gender, number, and case of the noun they modify. For example:
| Slovak | Pronunciation | English | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| starý muž | starɪ mʊʒ | old man | stará žena | starɑ: ʒɛnɑ | old woman | staré dieťa | starɛ djɛtʰɑ | old child |
As you can see, the adjective "starý" (old) changes its ending based on the gender and number of the noun it modifies. This is a common feature of Slovak grammar that you will encounter in many other contexts.
To compare adjectives in Slovak, we use two forms: the comparative and the superlative. The comparative is used to compare two things, while the superlative is used to express the highest degree of a quality among three or more things.
To form the comparative, we add the suffix "-ší" to the stem of the adjective. For example:
| Slovak | Pronunciation | English | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| malý | mɑli: | small | menší | mɛnʃi: | smaller |
Here, the adjective "malý" (small) becomes "menší" (smaller) when we add the "-ší" suffix. The comparative form is usually used with the preposition "ako" (than), as in the following example:
"Ten pes je menší ako tá mačka." (This dog is smaller than that cat.)
To form the superlative, we add the suffix "-ý/ia/né" to the stem of the adjective. The choice of suffix depends on the gender and number of the noun. For example:
| Slovak | Pronunciation | English | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| hlboký | ɦlbɔki: | deep | najhlbší | najɦlbʃi: | deepest |
Here, the adjective "hlboký" (deep) becomes "najhlbší" (deepest) when we add the "-ý" suffix. The superlative form is usually preceded by the adverb "naj" (the most), as in the following example:
"Toto je najhlbší bazén na svete." (This is the deepest pool in the world.)
Adverbs
Adverbs are words that modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. They provide additional information about the manner, time, or frequency of an action or state. In Slovak, adverbs can be formed from adjectives by adding the suffix "-o" to the stem. For example:
| Slovak | Pronunciation | English | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| pomalý | pɔmali: | slow | pomaly | pɔmalɪ | slowly |
Here, the adjective "pomalý" (slow) becomes "pomaly" (slowly) when we add the "-o" suffix.
To form the comparative of adverbs, we add the suffix "-šie" to the stem. For example:
| Slovak | Pronunciation | English | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| hlasno | ɦlɑsno | loudly | hlasnejšie | ɦlɑsnejʃi: | louder |
Here, the adverb "hlasno" (loudly) becomes "hlasnejšie" (louder) when we add the "-šie" suffix.
To form the superlative, we add the prefix "naj-" and the suffix "-ie" to the stem. For example:
| Slovak | Pronunciation | English | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ťažko | tʃaʒko | heavily | najťažšie | najtʃaʒʃi: | heaviest |
Here, the adverb "ťažko" (heavily) becomes "najťažšie" (heaviest) when we add the "naj-" prefix and the "-ie" suffix.
Summary
In this lesson, we learned how to form comparatives and superlatives of adjectives and adverbs in Slovak. We saw that adjectives and adverbs change their endings to agree with the gender, number, and case of the nouns or verbs they modify. We also learned that the comparative is used to compare two things, while the superlative expresses the highest degree of a quality among three or more things. By mastering these forms, you will be able to express yourself more precisely and creatively in Slovak. Keep practicing and exploring the wonderful world of Slovak grammar!
- Adjectives change their endings to agree with the gender, number, and case of the nouns they modify.
- To form the comparative of adjectives, we add the suffix "-ší" to the stem.
- To form the superlative of adjectives, we add the suffix "-ý/ia/né" to the stem.
- Adverbs are formed by adding the suffix "-o" to the stem of the corresponding adjective.
- To form the comparative of adverbs, we add the suffix "-šie" to the stem.
- To form the superlative of adverbs, we add the prefix "naj-" and the suffix "-ie" to the stem.
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