Adjectives: Comparatives and Superlatives

01

Forming the Comparative

Most adjectives form the comparative by adding -iji to the stem; a smaller group adds just -ji, which merges with the final consonant.

• star → stariji

  old → older

• star the plain adjective, -iji the comparative ending
• starij-i then takes ordinary adjective endings on top: starij-a sestra an older sister

• nov → noviji

  new → newer

• brz → brži

  fast → faster

• Moja starija sestra je visoka.

  My older sister is tall.

• Ljudi su ljubazniji nego kod kuće.

  People are friendlier than at home.

02

Irregular Comparatives

The most common adjectives change their stem and must be learned one by one.

• dobar → bolji (good → better)
• velik → veći (big → bigger)
• malen → manji (small → smaller)
• loš → gori (bad → worse) - the regular lošiji is also used and is not wrong

• Odmor je bolji nego što sam očekivao.

  The vacation is better than I expected.

• Ova zemlja je veća od Belgije.

  This country is bigger than Belgium.

03

Forming the Superlative

The superlative is delightfully simple: add the prefix naj- to the comparative. This works for every adjective, regular or irregular.

• noviji → najnoviji

  newer → newest

• naj- the superlative prefix, novij- the comparative already formed, -i the adjective ending

• bolji → najbolji

  better → best

• Ovo je najbolji restoran na svijetu.

  This is the best restaurant in the world.

• Ovo je najjeftinije što ćete naći.

  This is the cheapest you will find.

04

Comparing with 'nego' and 'od'

There are two ways to say "than", and they are not built the same way.

nego is followed by whatever the second half would look like as its own phrase - a noun in the case it needs, or a whole prepositional phrase. Nothing about it changes because of the comparison.

• Hrana je lošija nego u Italiji.

  The food is worse than in Italy.

• u Italij-i is locative because u put it there, not because of nego

• Vrijeme je toplije nego kod kuće.

  The weather is warmer than at home.

od takes a plain noun and puts it in the genitive. Use it when the second half is a single thing being compared, not a place or a phrase.

• Francuska je manja od Rusije.

  France is smaller than Russia.

• after od the second item is genitive: Rusija becomes Rusij-e

Both are common, and either can translate English "than" - but they are not swappable word for word, because od forces the genitive and nego leaves the second half alone.

05

The Comparative Still Agrees

A comparative or superlative is still an adjective, so it declines for gender, number and case like any other.

• Imam tri mlađa brata.

  I have three younger brothers.

• Kupit ću veći stan.

  I will buy a bigger apartment.

06

'pre-' for 'too' and 'više' for 'more'

The prefix pre- on an adjective means "too" - more of something than you want.

• To je preskupo.

  That is too expensive.

• Zar haljina nije prekratka?

  Isn't the dress too short?

The adverb više means "more". With voljeti (to like) it makes the everyday way to say you prefer something - literally "I like it more".

• Više volim slatke kokice.

  I prefer sweet popcorn.

• Govorim više francuskog nego španskog.

  I speak more French than Spanish.

07

Saying Things Are the Same

For equality, Bosnian uses isti (the same), not a comparative.

• Moji roditelji su istih godina.

  My parents are the same age.

• ist-ih godin-a - "of the same years", with both words in the genitive plural; Bosnian describes people by the years they are of

08

Adverbs Compare Too

Adverbs form their comparative the same way, ending in -(ij)e, and the superlative again adds naj-.

• Govori glasnije, molim.

  Speak louder, please.

• Došao sam ranije.

  I came earlier.

• Dođite što je brže moguće.

  Come as quickly as possible.

• brž-e is the comparative of brzo (quickly); the words around it are Bosnian's frame for "as … as possible"