Adjectives can generally be : - positive - expressing the presence of some characteristic, - comparative - expressing the more intensive presence of some characteristic, - superlative - expressing the maximized presence of some characteristic.
Comparative
In the Serbian language the comparative form of adjectives is formed by adding there types of suffixes to a positive form: - -ji, -ja, -je to monosyllabic (mainly), - -iji, -ija, -ije to disyllabic and trisyllabic adjectives (mainly), - -ši, -ša, -še to only three monosyllabic adjectives: mek, lep and lak.
-JI, -JA, -JE
-IJI, -IJA, -IJE
-ŠI, -ŠA, -ŠE
mlad + ji = mlađi, -a, -e
jeftin + iji = jeftiniji, -a, -e
lep + ši = lepši, -a, -e
ljut + ji = ljući, -a, -e
miran + iji = mirniji, -a, -e
mek + ši = mekši, -a, -e
brz + ji = brži, -a, -e
interesantan + iji = interesantniji, -a, -e
lak + ši = lakši, -a, -e
tih + ji = tiši, -a, -e
dosadan + iji = dosadniji, -a, -e
skup + ji = skuplji, -a, -e
mastan + iji = masniji, -a, -e
EXCEPTIONS
visok + ji = viši, -a, -e
nizak + ji = niži, -a, -e
There are sound alternations in the adjective stems of the first group of adjectives (those forming the comparative by adding the suffix -ji).
k > č :
jak - jači
l > lj :
beli - belji
g > ž :
drag - draži
p > plj :
skup - skuplji
h > š :
tih - tiši
b > blj :
grub - grublji
d > đ :
mlad - mlađi
v > vlj :
suv - suvlji
t > ć :
žut - žući
z > ž :
brz - brži
n > nj :
crn - crnji
s > š :
visok - viši
It is the fleeting A that appears in the positive, and disappears in the comparative. e.g. dosadan dosadniji, interesantan interesantniji
In some cases, along with the fleeting A, the consonant T disappears as well. e.g. mastan masniji, bolestan bolesniji
Some adjectives form comparatives from their reduced stems. e.g. visok viši, nizak niži, uzak uži, širok širi
The comparative form of adverbs has the same form as the comparative of a neuter gender adjective. e.g. lepo lepše, sporo sporije
Superlative
The superlative of adjectives is formed by adding the prefix naj- in front of the comparative form of adjective.
naj + mlađi = najmlađi naj + jeftiniji = najjeftiniji naj + lepši = najlepši
Adjectives beginning with j- in the superlative are written with double j. e.g. najjači, najjasniji, najjužniji
The superlative of adverbs is formed by adding the preffix naj- to the comparative form of the adverb. e.g. lepše najlepše, sporije najsporije
Irregular comparison
Four adjectives have irregular comparisons.
positive
comparative
superlative
dobar, -bra, -bro
bolji, -a, -e
najbolji, -a, -e
zao, zla, zlo
gori, -a, -e
najgori, -a, -e
mali, -a, -o
manji, -a, -e
najmanji, -a, -e
velik, -a, -o
veći, -a, -e
najveći, -a, -e
Sentence patterns using the comparative :
A(Nom.) je lepši (-a/-e) nego B(Nom.) Tvoja žena je lepša nego moja žena.
A(Nom.) je lepši (-a/-e) od B(Nom.) Tvoja žena je lepša od moje žene.
You can try below what you have just lernt. Write your answer and press Enter Fill in the gaps with the comparative form of adjective used in the first half of the sentence. Tvoja kuća je velika, ali je moja kuća nego tvoja. Francuski automobili su brzi, ali su nemački automobili od francuskih. Moja deca su dobra, ali su vaša deca nego moja. Jovanova sestra je lepa, ali je Miloševa sestra od Jovanove. Neki ljudi misle da je Tokio najskuplji grad na svetu, ali je Moskva nego Tokio. Form the comparative of the given adjectives. Moja kuća je lepa i velika ali je tvoja kuća lepša i veća. Beograd je velik i opasan grad, ali je Istanbul grad. Voz je brz i siguran, ali je avion od voza. Maja kaže: moja tetka je lepa i visoka ali je moja mama . Jovan razmišlja: mnoge devojke su lepe i zanimljive, ali je Marina od ostalih. Tvoj auto je skup i dobar. Moj auto je od tvog. Fill in the gaps with the appropriate forms of the superlative. Moja devojka je . (lep) Vaši prijatelji su . (bogat) Miroslav je u svom razredu. (visok) U Moskvi su bulevari. (širok) Dunav je reka u Evropi. (dug) Ovo je prodavnica u gradu. (skup) Form the comparative of the adjectives (irregular comparison). Milica je od Zorice. (dobar) Pera je od Nenada. (zao) Novi Sad je od Beograda. (mali) Norveška je od Danske. (veliki) Form adverbs of the given adjectives, then put them into the comparative. Ona ide , ali on ide . (brz) Ona govori srpski jezik, ali on govori . (dobar) Mi hodamo , ali vi hodate . (spor) Ti pevaš , ali ona peva . (lep) On spava , ali ona spava . (miran) Ona priča , ali ja pričam . (tih)