Comparison of Adjectives

01

Comparative: تَر (-tar)

• ⁧بُزُرگ‌تَر⁩

  bozorg-tarbozorg-tarbzrg-tr

  bigger

• ⁧کوچَک‌تَر⁩

  kučak-tarkuchak-tarkvčk-tr

  smaller

• ⁧زودتَر⁩

  zudtarzudtarzvdtr

  sooner

• ⁧گَرم‌تَر⁩

  garm-targarm-targrm-tr

  warmer

02

'Than' Is ⁧اَز⁩ (az)

Whatever you are comparing against follows ⁧⁧اَز⁩⁩ (az), the same word that means "from".

• ⁧این کِشوَر بِسیار بُزُرگ‌تَر اَز بِلژیک اَست.⁩

  in kešvar besiyâr bozorg-tar az belžik astin keshvar besiyâr bozorg-tar az belzhik astayn kšvr bsyyar bzrg-tr az blžyk ast

  This country is much bigger than Belgium.

• ⁧هَوا گَرم‌تَر اَز خانِه اَست.⁩

  havâ garm-tar az xâne asthavâ garm-tar az khâne asthva grm-tr az xan ast

  The weather is warmer than at home.

• ⁧غَذایِ اینجا بَدتَر اَز ایتالیا اَست.⁩

  ġaḏây-e injâ badtar az itâliyâ astghazây-e injâ badtar az itâliyâ astġḏay-a aynja bdtr az aytalyya ast

  The food here is worse than in Italy.

• ⁧فَرانسِه بِسیار کوچَک‌تَر اَز روسیِه اَست.⁩

  farânse besiyâr kučak-tar az rusiye astfarânse besiyâr kuchak-tar az rusiye astfrans bsyyar kvčk-tr az rvsyy ast

  France is much smaller than Russia.

The comparative sits where any adjective sits - after its noun, joined by an ezafe - and the ⁧⁧اَز⁩⁩ (az) phrase follows.

• ⁧سِه بَرادَرِ بُزُرگ‌تَر⁩

  se barâdar-e bozorg-tarse barâdar-e bozorg-tars bradr-a bzrg-tr

  three older brothers

03

Superlative: تَرین (-tarin)

The superlative adds ⁧ین⁩ (-in) to the comparative, and unlike every other adjective in the language it goes before its noun.

• ⁧بِهتَرین دوستَم⁩

  behtarin dustambehtarin dustambhtryn dvstm

  my best friend

• ⁧این بِهتَرین رِستورانِ دُنیاست.⁩

  in behtarin resturân-e doniyâstin behtarin resturân-e doniyâstayn bhtryn rstvran-a dnyyast

  This is the best restaurant in the world.

• ⁧اَرزان‌تَرین چیزی⁩

  arzân-tarin čiziarzân-tarin chiziarzan-tryn čyzy

  the cheapest thing

• ⁧جَوان‌تَرین⁩

  javân-tarinjavân-tarinjvan-tryn

  the youngest

04

The Two Irregulars

⁧⁧خوب⁩⁩ (xubkhubxvb) and ⁧⁧زیاد⁩⁩ (ziyâdziyâdzyyad) normally take their comparatives from other words. A regular form with ⁧تر⁩ (-tar) does turn up in casual speech, but these are the ones to learn.

• ⁧⁧خوب⁩⁩ (xubkhubxvb) - good, gives ⁧⁧بِهتَر⁩⁩ (behtarbehtarbhtr) and ⁧⁧بِهتَرین⁩⁩ (behtarinbehtarinbhtryn)
• ⁧⁧زیاد⁩⁩ (ziyâdziyâdzyyad) - much, many, gives ⁧⁧بیشتَر⁩⁩ (bištarbishtarbyštr)

• ⁧تَعطیلات بِهتَر اَز چیزی اَست کِه اِنتِظار داشتَم.⁩

  taʿṭilât behtar az čizi ast ke enteẓâr dâštamta'tilât behtar az chizi ast ke entezâr dâshtamtʿṭylat bhtr az čyzy ast k antẓar daštm

  The holiday is better than I expected.

• ⁧یِکی اَز هَمکارانِ مَن بِهتَرین دوستَم هَم اَست.⁩

  yeki az hamkârân-e man behtarin dustam ham astyeki az hamkârân-e man behtarin dustam ham astyky az hmkaran-a mn bhtryn dvstm hm ast

  One of my colleagues is also my best friend.

• ⁧می‌تَوانَم بیشتَر بِمانَم.⁩

  mi-tavânam bištar bemânammi-tavânam bishtar bemânammy-tvanm byštr bmanm

  I can stay longer.