Russian language superlative degree. Always be in the mood

Adjectives in Russian. They are indispensable when it is necessary to compare one characteristic of an object or phenomenon with another. Let's try to understand the intricacies of this topic.

Adjective

Before you start studying the topic “Degrees of comparison of adjectives in the Russian language,” you need to find out how this part of speech differs from all others. And it really has a lot of features. It is difficult to imagine our speech without this colorful, graceful group. With the help of adjectives we describe appearance (short, handsome, homely), character (kind, grumpy, difficult), age (young, elderly). However, not only human qualities, but much more can be imagined with their help. For example, none piece of art cannot do without the use of adjectives. And even more so the lyrics. Thanks to this part of speech, stories, poems, novels acquire expressiveness and imagery.

Helps to form such artistic media, like epithets (dazzling beauty, wonderful morning), metaphors heart of stone), comparisons (looks like the happiest; the sky is like azure watercolor).

A distinctive feature of adjectives is their ability to form short forms. The latter always play the role of a predicate in a sentence, which gives this part of speech another advantage - it gives dynamics to any text.

What is a degree?

Anyone who studies the Russian language faces this question. Degrees of comparison of adjectives are a characteristic that helps to compare one object with another.

For example, there are two balls in front of us. They are exactly the same, only one of them is slightly different in size. We need to compare them with each other and draw a conclusion: one ball more another. We can approach this issue from the other side and note that one ball less than the second one. In both cases, we used a word that characterizes the degree of comparison of these objects.

Now let’s add to our items another one of the same kind, but much larger. We need to differentiate it from others. How will we do this? Of course, use comparison. Only now you need to indicate that the third ball is immediately different from the first and second. In this case we will say that he biggest among them.

This is precisely why we need them. We will describe each of their types in detail below.

comparative

When we have an adjective in front of us that no one compares with anything, it is characterized by a positive degree. But if one object needs to be compared with another, then we will use the comparative degree of the adjective.

It has two subspecies. The first is called simple, or suffixal. This means that the word used in this degree has a suffix characteristic of it.

For example: This table chic. Neighbor's table more luxurious ours.

In the first case, the adjective is in the positive degree. In the second, the suffix “ee” was added to it and with the help of this they compared one table with another.

The second type is the composite degree. As the name suggests, its formation occurs not with the help of morphemes, but with the use of special words.

For example: This project Very successful. Past project was more successful.

The word “more” helps us compare one project to another.

Another example: We received valuable information. The previous one turned out to be less valuable.

Now, using the word “less”, we indicated a feature that manifested itself to a lesser extent.

It is worth remembering that degrees of comparison of adjectives in the Russian language, regardless of variety, are formed only from Neither possessive nor relative have this ability.

Superlative

In some situations, we need not just to compare one object or phenomenon with another, but to distinguish it from all others similar to it. And here the degrees of comparison of adjectives in Russian will also come to our aid. This degree of comparison is called excellent, which already implies the highest limit.

Like comparative, it has two varieties.

Using suffixes, a simple degree is formed.

For example: Ivanov strongest of all the athletes on the team.

The word “strong” with the suffix -eysh- formed and distinguished the athlete Ivanov from other members of the national team.

Next example: New tulle the most beautiful from those that I have seen.

IN in this case the auxiliary word "most" gave this sentence the same meaning as in the previous example. This form is called compound.

Sometimes it can be accompanied by the prefix nai- for emphasis: the most beautiful.

Peculiarities

In some cases, forms of degrees of comparison of adjectives have exceptions.

These include the words “good” and “bad.” When we start to compare objects with their help, we will encounter some difficulties.

For example: We held good evening. Let's try to form a chain of degrees of comparison.

In a simple comparative we will see that the word “good” does not exist. It is replaced by “better.” And for the word “bad” we’ll choose “worse”. This phenomenon in Russian is called suppletivism of fundamentals. This means that the word needs to change radically to form a comparative degree.

Conclusion

Thus, we managed to find out not only the basics, but also some nuances on the topic “Degrees of comparison of adjectives in the Russian language.”

Now this rule will not cause you any difficulties, since it is not at all complicated.

Adjectives and adverbs in many languages ​​of the world have degrees of comparison. In English these are Positive Degree, Comparative Degree and Superlative degree, in Polish - rywny, wyższy, najwyższy, in French - le positif, le comparatif, le superlatif. The Russian language is no exception; it has positive, comparative and superlative adjectives. How are they different and what are their forms?

Degrees of comparison: types, table

Adjectives and adverbs derived from them have the ability to form degrees of comparison.

There are three of them:

• Positive.
• Comparative.
• Excellent.

Each of them expresses a different level of possession of an object or a specific specific quality.

For example: resourceful boy ( positive), however he can be more resourceful ( comparative), and in a certain life situation and become the most resourceful ( excellent).

From which adjectives can we form degrees of comparison?

As you know, all adjectives Russian language are divided into several categories.

• Qualitative - means characteristics that an object or living creature can possess in different degrees: sweet, sweeter, sweetest.
• Relative - they call the signs of an object or living creature according to their relation to circumstances, actions or other persons, things: a telephone call, a wooden building.
• Possessive - indicate that something belongs to someone: Pushkin’s stanza, father’s parting words.

Only from the first category can the comparative and superlative degrees of adjectives be formed (charming - more charming, the most charming), since it is impossible to say: “a more wooden building” or “the most Pushkin stanza.”

Adverbs that come from the qualitative category of adjectives can also form degrees of comparison: cheerful - cheerfully (more cheerfully).

Comparative degree of adjectives in Russian

Before moving on to consider the comparative degree, it is worth mentioning a little about the positive degree. This is the name given to the initial degree of comparison (boring). In fact, it is considered only formally as a degree of comparison. But the next one is the comparative degree of the adjective (more boring, more boring). It serves to show that a certain object or person has a given quality in greater/lesser quantity than someone/something else. For example: “This tea is stronger (stronger) than the one we drank yesterday.”

Information about comparative forms

In the above example, you can see that the comparative degree in Russian can be formed in the following ways: using suffixes or by adding an additional word (in in this example this is “more”). It turns out that we can distinguish 2 forms of the comparative degree of adjectives in the Russian language: simple and compound, or as it is sometimes called - complex.

Methods for forming a simple shape

There are several ways to form it.

• Using the suffixes -ee, -ey, -e, -she, added to the base: cheerful - more cheerful. However, it is worth remembering that if suffixes of the comparative degree of adjectives -e, -she are used, then alternation of consonants in the root of the word may occur, and the suffixes -k, -ok, -ek may be eliminated altogether. For example: narrow - narrower, ringing - louder.
• Sometimes a simple form can be formed by adding the same -ee, -ey, -e, -she, as well as the prefix po-. For example: soon - quickly, quickly - quickly. Adjectives formed in this way, as a rule, are the lot colloquial speech.
• Sometimes the comparative degree of adjectives in Russian is formed using a different word stem: bad - worse.

It is worth remembering that not every qualitative adjective can form a simple form. It so happened historically that it is simply impossible to form it from some words. For example, from adjectives such as “grand” or “businesslike”. After all, you can’t say: “grower” or “more businesslike.”

Unlike the positive, the simple comparative degree has no ending and does not change. For example, the adjective “light” changes according to gender and number: “light”, “light”, “light”, etc. In addition, it is declined according to cases. But the comparative degree of the adjective - “lighter” - is unchanged.

In this form, words, as a rule, perform the syntactic role of a predicate: “Words of love - sweeter than honey", and in some cases - definitions: "Make the jam sweeter."

Complex shape

Unlike the simple one, it is formed not with the help of suffixes or prefixes, but by adding the words “more” or “less” to the adjective in the positive degree. For example: “Rembrandt was more a brilliant artist than most of his contemporaries, but he was truly appreciated years after his death.”

Adjectives in complex form are declined by case, change by number and, accordingly, by gender, while “more” and “less” remain unchanged. For example: more powerful (powerful, powerful, powerful).

Both in simple form and in compound form, comparative adjectives in a sentence serve as predicates or modifiers: “Their relationship was closer and more elevated than that of anyone around them.”

Having considered the information about the comparative degree, it is now worth moving on to studying the superlative degree. And it will help you not to forget how the comparative degree of adjectives is formed - the table.

It briefly outlines all the information about simple and complex forms and their formation.

Brief information about superlatives

It serves to demonstrate that a certain object or living being is absolutely superior to any other in a certain quality, which is represented in it to the highest degree.

For example: “The third little pig’s house was the strongest and the wolf could not destroy it.”

A little about superlatives

Knowledge of how simple and complex comparative degrees of adjectives are formed will help you understand this topic. In the case of the superlative degree, both of its forms have similar names: simple and compound (complex) and are formed according to the corresponding principle.

They are formed according to the same principle:

• The simple one is formed by adding the suffixes -eysh, -aysh to the stem: caring - caring. Similar to the comparative, the superlative may also lose the stem suffix -k: low, lowest. A word formed using a simple superlative form is declined according to cases and changes according to numbers and genders. While the comparative degree of an adjective in a simple form is devoid of this property. For example: “light”. As mentioned above, in comparative form it is invariably “lighter”. But in the superlative degree - “brightest”, it can change: “brightest”, “brightest”.
• The compound form is formed by adding the words "most", "least" or "most" ("most", "most", "most") to the adjective in the positive degree. For example: the brightest, the least entertaining, the funniest. In some cases, the comparative degree of the adjective plus the word “all” may also participate in the formation. For example: “This girl completed the task faster than anyone in the class.” As with the comparative form, the superlative adjective changes according to the same categories. And the additional words: “most” or “least” remain unchanged: “The wolf ran the shortest route to Grandma’s house and got ahead of Little Red Riding Hood.” However, “most” also changes: “The wolf ran the shortest route to Grandma’s house and got ahead of Little Red Riding Hood.”

As for the syntactic role, adjectives in this degree, as a rule, act as predicates: “A most amazing journey.” Less often - definitions: "It was a story about the most amazing journey". And in complex form they most often serve as definitions: “He was smarter than everyone else at school.”

Superlative and comparative degrees of adjectives: exercises to consolidate knowledge

To better remember all the material presented, you should practice by doing a few fairly simple exercises.

The topic of comparative degrees of adjectives itself is quite easy. However, in order to avoid mistakes, it is worth remembering the basic rules, especially since in most European languages adjectives also have 3 degrees of comparison. Therefore, having figured out what they are in Russian, you can safely take on the study of the grammar of foreign languages.

Adjectives (Adjectives) are words that express qualities, characteristics of objects. They answer the question Which?. In a sentence, they usually define a noun. IN English language they do not change either by gender, or by number, or by case:

a little girl - little girl

a little boy - little boy

little children - little children

With a little boy - with a little boy.

Adjectives change only by degrees of comparison (Degrees of Comparison). There are three degrees of comparison of adjectives: positive (Positive Degree), comparative (Comparative Degree), excellent (Superlative Degree).

Rules for the formation of degrees of comparison of adjectives.

Adjectives in the positive degree do not have any endings, for example: quick (fast), slow (slow), old (old), new (new). The comparative and superlative degrees are formed using the suffixes -er and -est or by adding the words more (more) and most (most). The choice of method depends on the original form of the adjective.

Monosyllabic and some two-syllable adjectives form the comparative degree with the suffix -er, and the superlative degree with the suffix -est. Using the suffixes -er, -est, degrees of comparison are formed into two-syllable adjectives ending in -er, -ow, -y, -le (clever, narrow, early, simple).

Here are some examples:

One- and two-syllable adjectives

When writing, certain spelling rules must be followed.

1. If an adjective has a short vowel and ends in one consonant, then in the comparative and superlative degrees this consonant is doubled:

big – bigger – biggest

big - bigger - biggest, biggest

Fat – fatter – fattest

thick, fatty – thicker – the thickest

Wet-wetter-wettest

wet, humid – more humid – the most humid

Sad – sadder – saddest

sad, sad – sadder – saddest

thin – thinner – thinnest

thin, thin – thinner – thinnest

2. If the adjective ends with a letter -y with a preceding consonant, then in the comparative and superlative degrees the letter y changes to i:

Easy – easier – easiest

light - lighter - lightest, lightest

early – earlier – earliest

early – earlier – earliest

dry – drier – driest

dry, arid – drier – driest

But the word shy (shy, fearful) does not obey this rule and forms degrees of comparison as follows:

shy – shyer – shyest.

3. If the adjective ends with a letter -e, then in the comparative and superlative degrees it is added -r, -st:

wide – wider – widest

wide - wider - widest, widest

late – later – latest

late – later – the latest

fine – finer – finest

good, wonderful – better – the best

simple – simpler – simplest

simple - simpler - simplest

Polysyllabic adjectives, i.e. Adjectives consisting of three or more syllables form degrees of comparison using the words more for the comparative degree and most for the superlative degree. Let's consider following examples:

Polysyllabic adjectives

In the same way, i.e. Using the words more for the comparative degree and most for the superlative degree, some two-syllable words that end in -ed and - are formed into degrees of comparison.

Which acts as the initial form: kind - kinder, more/less kind, kindest, kindest, kindest of all.

Expresses the attribute of a given object without comparison with the attribute of another object; it is neutral in relation to the degree of manifestation of the attribute.

comparative

Comparative forms indicate:

1. A characteristic that manifests itself in one object in to a greater extent than in another.

• Elbrus higher Kazbek.
• This first sound was followed by another, harder And lingering...
• (I. S. Turgenev)
• Further experiments were more complex than the previous ones.
• (Academician I.P. Pavlov)

2. A sign that in the same object in different time manifests itself unequally, is contained sometimes to a greater or lesser extent.

• I am now more modest became in desires,
• My life or you I dreamed of...
• (S. A. Yesenin)
• Faith has become more reserved what it was.

The comparative degree can be simple(consist of one word) and composite(consist of two words).

Comparative degree education

Qualitative adjectives with suffixes do not have a simple comparative form - sk -, -ov -, -l -, -n -(they don't have short forms!): friendly, mass, blood, emaciated, etc. This also includes adjectives with the suffix - To - type fusible, bulky, heavy, separate non-derivative words(flat, dilapidated, proud, sloping) and words denoting the colors of animals: brown, savrasy, etc.

Superlative

Superlative forms indicate:

1. A feature that is manifested in a given object in highest degree or more than in all other subjects.

• Elbrus - highest from the Caucasus mountains.
• In this group Ivanov - the most capable And hardworking student.
• you today the best.

2. The maximum degree of quality without comparison with other items, including as part of set expressions: kindest soul, worst enemy .

• Arrived the most important stage in your life.
• Everything needs to be figured out the smallest details.

Superlative education

Qualitative adjectives with suffixes do not form a simple superlative form - sk -, -n -, -ov -(-ev -), -To -, -ast -, -ist -: native, businesslike, loud, vociferous, colorful, spreading, thoroughbred, many words with suffixes - Liv -, -chiv -, -ovat - (-evat -): turbulent, talkative, whitish.

Here
Adjectives can have degrees of comparison: comparative and superlative.

The comparative degree of an adjective indicates that a characteristic characteristic of an object is manifested in it to a greater or lesser extent than in another object or objects:

Your briefcase is heavier than mine.
Your briefcase is heavier than mine.

The superlative degree indicates that in some one way the subject is superior to all other subjects:

Yerevan is the most ancient city peace.

The comparative degree of adjectives has two forms:
simple and compound.

Simple form of comparative adjective
is formed by adding the suffixes -ee (-ee), -e, -she to the base of the initial form of the adjective:
kind - kinder, young - younger, thin - thinner.

The suffix of adjectives -k- (-ok-, -ek-) can be dropped if a simple
the comparative form is formed using the suffixes -e, -she.
In this case, there is also an alternation of consonants in the root:
low - lower, high - higher, thin - thinner.

Some adjectives have a comparative form with a different stem:

good is better, bad is worse, small is less.

The forms of the comparative degree in -ee(s), -e, -she can be joined by the prefix po-, which enhances or softens the degree of manifestation of the characteristic in one of the objects:

kinder, softer, thinner.

These forms, as well as forms like bolder, are characteristic of colloquial speech:

By nightfall the wind became stronger. The nights have become warmer.

The simple form of the comparative degree is unchangeable,
has no endings, but acts as a predicate in a sentence
or (less commonly) definitions:
Good words better than a soft pie. Put on a warm coat.

The simple form of the comparative degree cannot be formed from all adjectives (timid, tall, businesslike, etc.).

The compound form of the comparative degree is formed by adding the words more or less to the initial form of the adjective:

fast - faster, loud - less loud.

The second word in the compound form of the comparative degree changes according to gender, case and number:

deeper snow, deeper river, along deeper rivers.

Adjectives in the compound form of the comparative degree in a sentence can be predicates and modifiers:
Our arguments are more subtle and profound. No one could give more convincing arguments.

When forming a compound form of comparative degree
Avoid mistakes like more beautiful.

The superlative degree of adjectives has two forms:
simple and compound.

The simple superlative form of adjectives is formed by adding the suffixes -eysh- (-aysh-) to the base of the initial form of the adjective:
modest - the most modest, great - the greatest.

Before -aysh- there is an alternation of consonants:
strict - the strictest, quiet - the quietest.

The suffix -k- may appear: close - closest.

The simple form of the superlative degree changes according to gender, number,
cases. In a sentence it is a predicate or (less often) a definition:
The journey is most interesting. This was a story about an interesting journey.

The simple superlative form is most often used in literary speech.