Latin with Foster

Experience III, Lesson 4: Adjectives and Comparison

Learning the comparative and superlative adjective

In English adjectives are divided into three degrees: positive, comparative, superlative.
Normally we translate the comparative and superlative as relative, i.e. in relation to something else.: E.g. long, longer, longest; beautiful, more beautiful, most beautiful
N.B. however there is also an absolute translation that is also possible, when it is not in comparison to something else.: Comparative: rather long, somewhat long, too long, quite long; Superlative: very beautiful

Forms of Comparative Adjectives

Positive	Comparative		Superlative
M.,F.,N.	Masc.-Fem.	Neuter	M.,F.,N.
-us or -is	-ior	-ius	-issimus
honestus, -a, -um rapidus, a, um	honestior rapidior	honestiusrapidius	honestissimus, -a, -um rapidissimus, a, um
piger, -gra, -grum	pigrior	pigrius	pigerrimus
nobilis, nobile	nobilior	nobilius	nobilissimus, -a, -um
prudens, prudentis celer, celeris	prudentior celerior	prudentius celerius	prudentissimus, -a, -um celerrimus

Note: whether Block I (honestus, piger) or Block II (nobilis, prudens), the Comparative and Superlative all form the same. (Except the exceptions below.)

Using the Adjectives

Positive Adjectives

The positive adjectives we already learned to form in Block I Nouns and Adjectives. The superlative adjectives will form in the exact same way.

In a quick table - Positive Adjectives

	Singular			Plural
	Masc.	Fem.	Neut.	Masc.	Fem.	Neuter
Nom. = Subj.	honestus	honesta	honestum	honesti	honestae	honesta
Gen. = Poss.	honesti	honestae	honesti	honestorum	honestarum	honestorum
Acc. = Obj.	honestum	honestam	honestum	honestos	honestas	honesta
Abl.	honesto	honestà	honesto	honestis	honestis	honestis
Dat. = I.Obj.	honesto	honestae	honesto	honestis	honestis	honestis

Comparative Adjectives

The comparative adjectives will form the same as the Block II Nouns. Masculine and Feminine follow the nouns like gubernator, gubernatoris; doctor, doctoris. Neuter follows the nouns like corpus, corporis; tempus, temporis.

In a quick table - Comparative Adjective

	Masc.-Fem.		Neuter
	Singular	Plural	Singular	Plural
Nom. = Subj.	honestior	honestiores	honestius	honestiora (-ia)
Gen. = Poss.	honestioris	honestiorum (-ium)	honestioris	honestiorum (-ium)
Acc. = Obj.	honestiorem	honestiores [-is]	honestius	honestiora (-ia)
Abl.	honestiore (-i)	honestioribus	honestiore (-i)	honestioribus
Dat. = I.Obj.	honestiori	honestioribus	honestiori	honestioribus

N.B.

Adjectives always match the number, case and gender of the noun they modify
pigra et honestior mulier = the lazy but more honest woman
Note the difference in the tables above:
honestorum = positive adjective: of honest men/things
honestiorum = comparative adjective: of the more honest men/things

Superlative Adjective

Superlatives are formed for all adjectives by adding the -issimus, -issima, -issimum ending.
However there are two exceptions:
1. There are 6 adjectives ending in -lis which form the superlative by adding -illimus.: difficilis, dissimilis, facilis, gracilis, humilis, similis
2. There are about 20 adjectives, most ending in -er, which form the superlative by adding -errimus.: acer, aeger, alacer, asper, ater, auster, celeber, celer, creber, integer, macer, miser, piger, pulcer, pulcher, scaber, uber [prosperus -> PROSPERRIMUS, vetus -> VETERRIMUS]
facilis -> facillimus = easiest
*piger -> pigerrimus = laziest
*celer -> celerrimus = fastest

Now go on to Homework 4

"You have to be thinking, or you will get all confused." - Fr. Foster

Third Experience Latin - Fr. Reginald Foster

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