Language/Faroese/Grammar/Comparatives

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Faroese → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Comparatives

Welcome to the lesson on comparatives in Faroese! Today, we will dive into an essential aspect of the Faroese language that allows you to make comparisons between things—it's one of those linguistic tools that can really enrich your conversations and descriptions. Understanding how to form and use comparatives will elevate your Faroese language skills, enabling you to express nuances in your thoughts and comparisons with ease.

In this lesson, we'll cover:

• The structure of comparatives in Faroese

• How to use comparatives in sentences

• The different forms of comparisons using "more," "less," and "as...as"

• Plenty of examples and practice exercises to solidify your understanding

So, let's get started!

Understanding Comparatives

Comparatives are used to compare two things. In English, we often add "-er" to adjectives or use "more" to form comparatives, such as "taller" or "more beautiful." Faroese has its own unique way of forming these comparisons, and this lesson will guide you through the process.

Basic Structure of Comparatives

In Faroese, comparatives are typically formed by adding the suffix "-ari" to the base form of the adjective. However, there are some exceptions and irregular forms that you will need to memorize.

Here’s a basic structure:

• Adjective + -ari (e.g., "stór" → "stórari" meaning "big" → "bigger")

Let’s take a look at some examples of comparatives:

Faroese	Pronunciation	English
stórari	ˈstoːrɑːri	bigger
betri	ˈbɛtri	better
kallari	ˈkʌlɑːri	taller
ungari	ˈuŋɡɑːri	younger
flúgvari	ˈfluːɡvɑːri	more expensive

Using Comparatives in Sentences

When using comparatives in sentences, you generally follow this structure:

• X is (adjective + -ari) than Y.

For example:

• "Húsini er størri enn bilurin." (The house is bigger than the car.)

Let’s illustrate this further with some more examples:

Faroese	Pronunciation	English
Bókin er betri enn filmurin.	ˈboːkɪn ɛr ˈbɛtri ɛn ˈfɪlmʊrɪn.	The book is better than the movie.
Hon er ungari enn eg.	hɔn ɛr ˈuŋɡɑːri ɛn ɛɡ.	She is younger than I am.
Dýrið er flúgvari enn fuglur.	ˈtiːrɪð ɛr ˈfluːɡvɑːri ɛn ˈfuɡlur.	The animal is more expensive than the bird.

More, Less, and As...As Comparisons

Faroese also allows for more complex comparisons using "more," "less," and "as...as."

• More: Use "meira" before the adjective.

• Less: Use "minni" before the adjective.

• As...as: Use "sum" before the adjective.

Let’s see how this works:

Faroese	Pronunciation	English
Hann er meira arbeiðsmaður enn eg.	hɑn ɛr ˈmeːɾɑ ˈɑːʁɛɪ̯psmɑðʊɾ ɛn ɛɡ.	He is more hardworking than I am.
Hon er minni enn systirin.	hɔn ɛr ˈmɪni ɛn ˈsystɪrɪn.	She is less than the sister.
Bókin er sum spennandi sum filmurin.	ˈboːkɪn ɛr sʊm ˈspɛnɑn̥dɪ sʊm ˈfɪlmʊrɪn.	The book is as exciting as the movie.

Now that you have a grasp of forming comparatives, let’s practice what you’ve learned!

Practice Exercises

Here are ten exercises to help you apply your understanding of comparatives. For each exercise, fill in the blanks with the correct form of the adjective in parentheses.

Exercise 1

1. Húsini er ______ (stór) enn íbúðin.

Answer: stórari

Exercise 2

2. Hon er ______ (ung) enn bróður hennara.

Answer: ungari

Exercise 3

3. Tað er ______ (góð) enn í dag.

Answer: betri

Exercise 4

4. Maturin er ______ (dyr) enn í fjør.

Answer: dýrari

Exercise 5

5. Hann er ______ (klár) enn tú.

Answer: klárari

Exercise 6

6. Tað er ______ (litfagur) enn tað, vit sáu í gjár.

Answer: meira litfagurt

Exercise 7

7. Hon er ______ (góður) enn eg.

Answer: betri

Exercise 8

8. Hon er ______ (gamal) enn teir.

Answer: eldri

Exercise 9

9. Bókin er ______ (spennandi) sum filmurin.

Answer: eins spennandi

Exercise 10

10. Tað er ______ (fínt) at síggja tú á arbeiðinum.

Answer: minni

These exercises should help solidify your understanding of comparatives in Faroese. Remember, practice makes perfect, so don’t hesitate to revisit them as you continue your learning journey!

Conclusion

In this lesson, you have learned how to form and use comparatives in Faroese. You explored the basic structure, how to use them in sentences, and the different types of comparisons. Practice is key, so be sure to complete the exercises and apply what you've learned in your conversations.

Keep up the great work, and enjoy your exploration of the Faroese language!

Table of Contents - Faroese Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Greetings and Introductions

• Basic Greetings
• Introducing Yourself

  ---

Pronouns and Verb To Be

• Personal Pronouns
• Verb To Be

  ---

Numbers and Time

• Numbers 1-20
• Telling Time

  ---

Present Tense and Regular Verbs

• Present Tense
• Regular Verbs

  ---

Family and Relationships

• Family Members
• Describing Relationships

  ---

Adjectives and Comparatives

• Basic Adjectives
• Comparatives

  ---

Food and Dining

• Common Foods
• Eating and Drinking

  ---

Possessives

• Possessive Adjectives
• Possessive Pronouns

  ---

Travel and Transportation

• Modes of Transportation
• Travel Vocabulary

  ---

Questions and Negation

• Question Words
• Negation

  ---

Hobbies and Interests

• Common Hobbies
• Discussing Interests

  ---

Prepositions

• Basic Prepositions
• Prepositional Phrases

  ---

Faroese Customs and Traditions

• Faroese Holidays
• Faroese Music and Dance

  ---

Weather and Seasons

• Weather Vocabulary
• Seasons

  ---

Past Tense

• Simple Past Tense
• Past Continuous Tense

  ---

Faroese Literature and Folklore

• Faroese Literature
• Faroese Folklore

Sources

• Faroese Grammar - Adjectives

Other Lessons

• Prepositional Phrases
• 0 to A1 Course
• Future Tense
• Conditional Mood
• Present Tense
• Regular Verbs
• How to Use Be
• Give your Opinion
• Adjectives

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