1. Many adjectives have three degrees:
the positive,
the comparative, and
the superlative.
These can be
(a) regular (i.e., predictable according to a regula or rule), like the English:
red - redder - reddest
beautiful - more beautiful - most beautiful
or
(b) irregular (special to the given word):
good - better - best
bad - worse - worst
2. In Latin, for REGULAR comparatives:
(a) Expect the letters IOR, except for
* neuter singular nominatives and accusatives where you find -IUS
* adjectives like those whose stem ends in a vowel, e.g., idone-us, aure-us: magis is used to indicate the comparative form and maxime the superlative: magis idoneus = more suitable.
(b) The genitive ending across the three genders is -IÔRIS.
(c) The comparatives are third-declension ADJECTIVES, but they are declined like REGULAR third declension NOUNS, not adjectives; that is, they take:
-e not -î in ablative singulars: in beâtiôre vitâ
-um not -ium in the genitive plurals: numerus lîberiôrum populôrum
-a not -ia for neuter plural nominatives and accusatives: ferôciôra animâlia
3. In Latin, for REGULAR superlatives, expect the nominative singulars to end in -ISSIMUS -A -UM.
These endings are declined just like bonus -a -um.
4. Latin superlatives from ANY adjective that has its masculine singular nominative ending in -er (even third declension ones) do not carry the common - issim - sign of the superlative. They end instead in -ERRIMUS -A -UM.
Thus the adjectives pulcher, âcer, miser, tener, lîber give us the superlatives
pulcherrimus, âcerrimus, miserrimus, tenerrimus, lîberrimus
5. Only a few Latin superlatives have -limus (and not -issimus) added to the base of the positive form that ends in -ilis:
facillimus, difficillimus, gracillimus, simillimus, dissimilimus, humillimus
6. Learn the common irregular comparisons for adjectives like
POSITIVE DEGREE
COMPARATIVE DEGREE
SUPERLATIVE DEGREE
bonus a um
melior, melius
optimus a um
magnus a um
maior, maius
maximus a um
multus a um
[no singular m/f], plûs
plûrimus a um
parvus a um
minor, minus
minimus a um
malus a um
peior, peius
pessimus a um
7. REMEMBER:
Comparatives can be translated best sometimes by using more or sometimes by using too or rather or somewhat.
Superlatives can be translated best sometimes by using most or sometimes by using extremely or very or the suffix (i)est.
Latin Teaching Materials at Saint Louis University: © Claude Pavur 1997 - 2006. This material is being made freely available for non-commercial educational use.
