How to Use Comparative and Superlative Forms of Adjectives in Vietnamese

Understanding Adjectives in Vietnamese

In Vietnamese, adjectives are words that describe or modify nouns, similar to English. However, the way comparative and superlative forms are expressed differs significantly from English. Instead of changing the adjective's form, Vietnamese uses additional words or phrases to indicate comparison or the highest degree.

Forming Comparative Adjectives in Vietnamese

To express the comparative form (e.g., "bigger", "more beautiful"), Vietnamese typically uses the word "hơn" which means "more" or "than". The structure is: adjective + hơn + noun/pronoun.

For example:

• Căn nhà này lớn hơn căn nhà kia. (This house is bigger than that house.)
• Cô ấy đẹp hơn em gái. (She is more beautiful than her younger sister.)

Forming Superlative Adjectives in Vietnamese

To express the superlative form (e.g., "the biggest", "the most beautiful"), Vietnamese uses the word "nhất" which means "most" or "-est". The structure is: adjective + nhất.

For example:

• Anh ấy cao nhất trong lớp. (He is the tallest in the class.)
• Cô ấy thông minh nhất nhóm. (She is the smartest in the group.)

Additional Notes on Usage

- The word "hơn" is used only for comparisons between two things or people.
- The word "nhất" is used to indicate the highest degree among three or more.
- Vietnamese adjectives do not change form; the comparative and superlative meanings come from these added words.

Examples of Comparative and Superlative Forms

Practice Sentences

Try translating these sentences into Vietnamese using the comparative and superlative forms:

1. My car is faster than your car.
2. She is the tallest student in the class.
3. This book is more interesting than that one.
4. He is the smartest person in the office.

Answers:

1. Xe của tôi nhanh hơn xe của bạn.
2. Cô ấy là học sinh cao nhất trong lớp.
3. Cuốn sách này thú vị hơn cuốn kia.
4. Anh ấy là người thông minh nhất trong văn phòng.