Degrees of Adjectives

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Degrees of Adjectives
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There are 3 degrees of adjectives

• the positive degree (tallaltus-a-um)
• the comparative degree ( talleraltior)
• the superlative degree ( tallestaltissimus)

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1-2 or 3I ADJ?

• Look at the second word of your adjective if it
  ends in A, the adjective is l-2
• All other positive degree adjectives are 3rd I!

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Formation of Positive Degree

• Some adjectives are 1-2
• altus alta altum
• pulcher pulchra pulchrum
• Some adjectives are 3rdI
• audax (audacis-gen)
• fortis forte
• acer acris acre

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Declensions of Positive DegreeAdjectives

• Altum
• Alti
• Alto
• Altum
• Alto

• Fortis
• Fortis
• Forti
• Fortem
• Forti

• Forte
• Fortis
• Forti
• Forte
• Forti

• Altus
• Alti
• Alto
• Altum
• Alto

• Alta
• Altae
• Altae
• Altam
• Alta

• Alti
• Altorum
• Altis
• Altos
• Altis

• Altae
• Altarum
• Altis
• Altas
• Altis

• Alta
• Altorum
• Altis
• Alta
• Altis

• Fortes
• Fortium
• Fortibus
• Fortes
• Fortibus

• Fortia
• Fortium
• Fortibus
• Fortia
• Fortibus

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Formation of Comparatives

• Take the 2nd form of your postive decree
  adjective
• Remove the ending
• Add the ending IOR or IUS
• altus alta altum altior, altius
• fortis forte fortior
• audax (audacis)audacior

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Comparatives are always 3rddeclension!
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Comparative Declension
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Formation of superlatives

• Use the second form of the positive decree
  adjective
• To the base, most adjectives use the ending
  ISSIMUS-A-UM
• altus-a-um becomes altissimus-a-um

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Superlative adjectives are always 1-2 in
declension!
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Declension of Superlatives

• Altissimum
• Altissimi
• Altissimo
• Altissimum
• Altissimo

• Altissimus
• Altissimi
• Altissimo
• Altissimum
• Altissimo

• Altissima
• Altissimae
• Altissimae
• Altissimam
• Altissima

• Altissima
• Altissimorum
• Altissimis
• Altissima
• Altissimis

• Altissimi
• Altissimorum
• Altissimis
• Altissimos
• Altissimis

• Altissimae
• Altissimarum
• Altissimis
• Altissimas
• Altissimis

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LIS ADJECTIVES
Similis
Humilis
Difficilis
Gracilis
Dissimilis
Facilis

• These adjectives add LLIMUS
• Facilis becomes facillimus

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ER ADJECTIVES

• ALL adjectives ending in ER add the ending RRIMUS
• Miser becomes miserrimus

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Adjective Agreement

• All degrees of adjectives modify nouns
• gender FEMINAS PULCHRAS , VIROS PULCHROS
• number FEMINA PULCHRIORE, FEMINIS PULCHIORIBUS
• and case FEMINAM PULCHERRIMAM, FEMINAE
  PULCHERRIMAE

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Mus est ingens.
Quam ingens mus est!
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Feles est ingentior quam mus!
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Quam

• Quam with the positive degree means HOW
• Quam with the comparative means THAN
• Whatever case is on one side must be on the other
• NOM QUAM NOM
• e.g. Paulus est altior quam Maria

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Another Way to Compare

• The ablative case can be used to compare two
  objects. This is called an ablative of
  comparison.
• Lepus est maior pisce. The rabbit is bigger than
  the fish.
• Notice that than is understood with the ablative

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Canis est ingentissimus omnium!
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Quam with the Superlative

• Quam with the superlative is translated as
  -----as possible
• E. G. Quam celerrime means as quickly as possible

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Compare these!
Leo
Ursa
Equus
Asinus