Language/Slovenian/Grammar/Comparative-and-Superlative-Adjectives
Slovenian adjectives are words that describe a noun or a pronoun in terms of its quality, quantity, or state. Adjectives change form according to the gender, number, and case of the noun they modify in Slovenian. In this lesson, we will focus on comparative and superlative adjectives in Slovenian and how to use them in sentences.
Comparative Adjectives
Comparative adjectives are used to compare two nouns. In Slovenian, comparative adjectives are formed by adding the suffix "-ejši" to the stem of the adjective. First, let's review how to decline adjectives in Slovenian:
Adjective Agreement
Adjectives in Slovenian decline in gender (masculine, feminine, and neuter), number (singular and plural), and case (nominative, genitive, dative, accusative, locative, and instrumental). Let's take the adjective "velik" (big) as an example:
| Slovenian | Masculine Singular | Feminine Singular | Neuter Singular | Masculine Plural | Feminine Plural | Neuter Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | velik | velika | veliko | veliki | velike | velika |
| Genitive | velikega | velike | velikega | velikih | velikih | velikih |
| Dative | velikemu | veliki | velikemu | velikim | velikim | velikim |
| Accusative | velikega | veliko | veliko | velike | velike | velika |
| Locative | velikem | veliki | velikem | velikih | velikih | velikih |
| Instrumental | velikim | veliko | velikim | velikimi | velikimi | velikimi |
As we can see, the ending of the adjective changes depending on the gender, number, and case of the noun it modifies. Now let's see how to form comparative adjectives in Slovenian.
Formation of Comparative Adjectives
To form the comparative degree of an adjective in Slovenian, we add the suffix "-ejši" to the stem of the adjective. If the adjective stem ends in a consonant, we add the suffix "-ejši" directly to it. If the adjective stem ends in a vowel, we add the suffix "-jši" instead.
Let's take the adjective "velik" (big) again, and form its comparative:
| Slovenian | Masculine Singular | Feminine Singular | Neuter Singular | Masculine Plural | Feminine Plural | Neuter Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Positive | velik | velika | veliko | veliki | velike | velika |
| Comparative | večji | večja | večje | večji | večje | večja |
As we can see, we added the suffix "-ejši" to the adjective stem "velik" to get the comparative "večji" (bigger). Let's see another example with the adjective "lep" (beautiful):
| Slovenian | Masculine Singular | Feminine Singular | Neuter Singular | Masculine Plural | Feminine Plural | Neuter Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Positive | lep | lepa | lepo | lepi | lepe | lepa |
| Comparative | lepši | lepša | lepše | lepši | lepše | lepša |
As we can see, we added the suffix "-ši" to the adjective stem "lep" to get the comparative "lepši" (more beautiful).
Comparative Adjectives in Sentences
Comparative adjectives in Slovenian are used in the same way as in English. Let's see some examples:
- Moj brat je višji od mene. (My brother is taller than me.)
- To torto je lažje narediti kot ono. (This cake is easier to make than that one.)
- Ta knjiga je bolj zanimiva od one. (This book is more interesting than that one.)
In all these examples, we use the comparative form of the adjective to compare two nouns.
Superlative Adjectives
Superlative adjectives are used to express the highest or lowest degree of a quality among three or more nouns. In Slovenian, superlative adjectives are formed by adding the suffix "-naj-" to the stem of the adjective and the appropriate ending according to the gender, number, and case of the noun. Let's see how to form superlative adjectives in Slovenian:
Formation of Superlative Adjectives
To form the superlative degree of an adjective in Slovenian, we add the suffix "-naj-" to the stem of the adjective, and the appropriate ending according to the gender, number, and case of the noun. If the adjective stem ends in a consonant, we add the suffix "-naj-" directly to it. If the adjective stem ends in a vowel, we add the suffix "-naj" instead.
Let's take the adjective "velik" (big) again, and form its superlative:
| Slovenian | Masculine Singular | Feminine Singular | Neuter Singular | Masculine Plural | Feminine Plural | Neuter Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Positive | velik | velika | veliko | veliki | velike | velika |
| Comparative | večji | večja | večje | večji | večje | večja |
| Superlative | največji | največja | največje | največji | največje | največja |
As we can see, we added the suffix "-naj-" to the adjective stem "velik" to get the superlative "največji" (the biggest). Let's see another example with the adjective "lep" (beautiful):
| Slovenian | Masculine Singular | Feminine Singular | Neuter Singular | Masculine Plural | Feminine Plural | Neuter Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Positive | lep | lepa | lepo | lepi | lepe | lepa |
| Comparative | lepši | lepša | lepše | lepši | lepše | lepša |
| Superlative | najlepši | najlepša | najlepše | najlepši | najlepše | najlepša |
As we can see, we added the suffix "-naj-" to the adjective stem "lep" to get the superlative "najlepši" (the most beautiful).
Superlative Adjectives in Sentences
Superlative adjectives in Slovenian are used in the same way as in English. Let's see some examples:
- Moj brat je najvišji v družini. (My brother is the tallest in the family.)
- Ta torta je najlažja za pripravo. (This cake is the easiest to make.)
- Ta knjiga je najbolj zanimiva od vseh. (This book is the most interesting of all.)
In all these examples, we use the superlative form of the adjective to express the highest or lowest degree of a quality among three or more nouns.
Conclusion
In this lesson, we learned how to form comparative and superlative adjectives in Slovenian and how to use them in sentences. We also reviewed adjective agreement in Slovenian and how to decline adjectives according to the gender, number, and case of the noun they modify. By mastering comparative and superlative adjectives, you will be able to express comparisons and superlatives in Slovenian, and add more nuance and variety to your speech. Practice forming and using comparative and superlative adjectives in Slovenian, and you will soon be able to speak with confidence and fluency.
Related Lessons
- Future Tense
- Conditional and future tense
- Past Tense
- The subjunctive mood and modal verbs
- Conjugation of verbs in the past tense
- Adjectives
- Conditional Mood
- Gender
- Pronouns and their use
- Nouns, articles and gender
Sources