Comparing Things

01

kuliko: More Than

The adjective keeps its ordinary form and kuliko introduces what it is being measured against.

• Kaka yangu ni mrefu kuliko baba yetu.

  My brother is taller than our father.

mrefu means simply tall. It is not a comparative and never becomes one; the comparison lives entirely in kuliko.

• Ninapenda chai kuliko kahawa.

  I like tea more than coffee.

02

zaidi: More

zaidi means more. It can stand on its own or reinforce a comparison.

• Hii ndiyo ya bei rahisi zaidi utakayopata.

  This is the cheapest you will find.

• Sina filamu niipendayo zaidi. Napenda filamu zote.

  I have no favourite film. I like all films.

03

The Superlative

There is no separate superlative form either. zaidi together with all or a named group does the work.

• Huu ndio mkahawa bora zaidi duniani.

  This is the best restaurant in the world.

• Sushi ndicho chakula nikipendacho zaidi.

  Sushi is the food I like most.

A superlative is often built as a comparison against everything else rather than as a form of its own.

04

Saying Two Things Are Alike

kama means like and puts two things on a level.

• Maisha ni kama sanduku la chokoleti.

  Life is like a box of chocolates.

• Inasikika kama inachosha.

  It sounds tiring.

05

Saying Very

Degree is a separate matter from comparison, and Swahili marks it after the adjective.

• sana - very, a lot
• kidogo - a little
• mno - extremely, too much

• Nadhani sweta hii ni nzuri sana.

  I think this sweater is very nice.

• Una muda kidogo? Tunahitaji kuzungumza.

  Do you have a little time? We need to talk.

06

Too Much of Something

Where English says too, Swahili most often uses sana or mno and lets the situation supply the disapproval.

• Hiyo ni ghali mno. Unaweza kupunguza bei?

  That is too expensive. Can you lower the price?

• Mashua zile ni ghali sana.

  Those boats over there are very expensive.

The same word ghali expensive appears in both. mno makes it a complaint; sana only makes it strong.

07

Comparing Quantities

With amounts rather than qualities, the same two words do the work, attached to -ingi many, much.

• Nina pesa nyingi kuliko wewe.

  I have more money than you.

• Tunahitaji maji mengi zaidi.

  We need more water.