How to Use Comparative and Superlative Forms of Adjectives in Ukrainian

Understanding Adjectives in Ukrainian

Adjectives in Ukrainian agree with the nouns they describe in gender, number, and case. When learning how to express comparisons, it's important to understand the basic adjective forms first.

Forming the Comparative Degree in Ukrainian

The comparative degree in Ukrainian is used to compare two things, similar to English. There are two main ways to form the comparative: by adding suffixes or using the word більш (more).

Suffix Method for Comparatives

Many adjectives form the comparative by adding the suffix -іш- or -ш- to the stem. For example:

Using 'більш' for Comparatives

For longer or more complex adjectives, the comparative is formed by placing більш (more) before the adjective. For example:

Forming the Superlative Degree in Ukrainian

The superlative degree expresses the highest degree of a quality, similar to English 'the biggest' or 'the most beautiful.' There are two common ways to form the superlative in Ukrainian.

Using the Prefix 'най-'

The most common way to form the superlative is by adding the prefix най- to the comparative form of the adjective. For example:

Using 'найбільш' with Adjectives

Alternatively, you can use найбільш (the most) before the adjective, especially with longer adjectives. For example:

Important Notes on Usage

Remember that adjectives in Ukrainian must agree with the noun they modify in gender, number, and case, even in comparative and superlative forms. Also, some adjectives have irregular comparative and superlative forms.

Practice Examples

Here are some sentences using comparative and superlative adjectives in Ukrainian:

• Ця книга цікавіша за ту. (This book is more interesting than that one.)
• Вона найрозумніша в класі. (She is the smartest in the class.)
• Мій будинок більший за твій. (My house is bigger than yours.)
• Це найбільш важливе питання. (This is the most important question.)