How to Use Comparative and Superlative Forms of Adjectives in Croatian

Understanding Adjectives in Croatian

In Croatian, adjectives agree with the nouns they describe in gender, number, and case. When expressing comparisons, Croatian uses specific forms to indicate the comparative and superlative degrees, similar to English but with unique rules and endings.

Forming the Comparative Degree in Croatian

The comparative form of adjectives in Croatian is typically formed by adding the suffix -iji or -ji to the adjective stem. The exact suffix depends on the adjective's ending and phonetic rules.

For example, the adjective dobar (good) becomes bolji (better) in the comparative form, which is an irregular form. Most adjectives follow the regular pattern:

lijep (beautiful) → ljepši (more beautiful)
brz (fast) → brži (faster)

Examples of Comparative Forms

• velik (big) → veći (bigger)
• mali (small) → manji (smaller)
• jak (strong) → jači (stronger)

Forming the Superlative Degree in Croatian

The superlative is formed by adding the prefix naj- to the comparative form of the adjective. This is similar to adding "most" in English.

For example:

• dobar → najbolji (the best)
• lijep → najljepši (the most beautiful)
• brz → najbrži (the fastest)

Usage of the Superlative

The superlative form is used to express the highest degree of a quality among three or more items or people. It can be used with or without the definite article depending on the sentence structure.

Irregular Comparative and Superlative Forms

Some Croatian adjectives have irregular comparative and superlative forms that do not follow the standard suffix rules. Here are some common examples:

• dobar → bolji → najbolji (good → better → best)
• loš (bad) → gori → najgori (bad → worse → worst)
• velik → veći → najveći (big → bigger → biggest)

Using Comparative and Superlative Adjectives in Sentences

When using comparative adjectives, Croatian often uses the conjunction nego (than) to compare two things.

Example:
"Ona je pametnija nego on."
(She is smarter than him.)

For superlatives, the adjective is usually followed by the noun it describes, and the sentence structure emphasizes the highest degree.

Example:
"On je najbrži trkač u školi."
(He is the fastest runner in the school.)

Summary of Key Points

1. Comparative adjectives usually end with -iji or -ji.
2. Superlative adjectives are formed by adding naj- to the comparative form.
3. Some adjectives have irregular comparative and superlative forms.
4. Use nego to compare two things with comparatives.
5. Superlatives express the highest degree among three or more items.