How to Use Comparative and Superlative Forms in Indonesian

Understanding Comparative and Superlative Forms in Indonesian

In English, comparative and superlative forms are often created by adding suffixes like -er and -est or using words like "more" and "most." Indonesian, however, uses a different approach to express comparisons and superlatives, relying mostly on specific words placed before adjectives or adverbs.

Forming Comparatives in Indonesian

To express the comparative form ("more" or "-er" in English), Indonesian commonly uses the word "lebih" before the adjective or adverb. The structure is simple:

• lebih + adjective/adverb + daripada (than) + noun/pronoun

For example:

• Dia lebih tinggi daripada saya. (He is taller than me.)
• Mobil ini lebih cepat daripada mobil itu. (This car is faster than that car.)

Forming Superlatives in Indonesian

To express the superlative form ("most" or "-est" in English), Indonesian uses the word "paling" before the adjective or adverb. The structure is:

• paling + adjective/adverb + (di + place)

Examples include:

• Dia adalah siswa paling pintar di kelas. (He is the smartest student in the class.)
• Ini adalah makanan paling enak di restoran ini. (This is the most delicious food in this restaurant.)

Other Ways to Express Comparisons

Besides lebih and paling, Indonesian also uses reduplication and other words to express comparisons:

• Using "kurang" to mean "less":
  "Dia kurang tinggi daripada saya." (He is less tall than me.)
• Using reduplication to indicate "somewhat" or "a bit":
  "Rumah itu besar-besar." (Those houses are quite big.)

Important Notes on Usage

Daripada is used after the adjective or adverb to mean "than" in comparisons. It is important to include it to clarify the comparison.

Unlike English, Indonesian adjectives do not change form based on number or gender, making the comparative and superlative forms easier to learn.

Summary

To form comparatives in Indonesian, use lebih + adjective + daripada + noun/pronoun. For superlatives, use paling + adjective. Remember that Indonesian adjectives do not change form, and the words lebih, paling, and daripada are key to expressing comparisons clearly.