Professional Documents
Culture Documents
When comparing two people or things, in English you may use –er or words such as more/less placed
before the adjective. In Italian you need to use special adjectives called comparative adjectives.
There are three types of comparative adjectives which are used to express different levels of quality:
greater, lesser or equal.
* Please note that when di (than) comes in contact with the definite article of the noun, it contracts
with it.
e.g. delle banane
Type 2 - The comparison of inferiority (less than) is expressed in Italian by placing
meno (less) before an adjective and
di (than) before a noun or pronoun.
e.g. Dario è meno alto di Kevin.
Dario is less tall than Kevin.
(alto – adjective / Kevin – noun/name)
Please Note
When the comparison refers to the same subject and is between two adjectives, two nouns or two
nouns preceded by a preposition, use che.
Credo che sia più facile spendere che risparmiare. spendere/risparmiare = 2 verbs
I think spending is easier than saving.
Superlatives
The superlative implies the highest or lowest degree of quality. In English we use the words 'the most'
or add -est to the end of the adjective to indicate the superlative.
In Italian there are two types of superlatives: the relative superlative and the absolute superlative.
Relative superlative
Highest degree: Mario è il più piccolo della classe. (definite article + più + adjective + di)
Mario is the youngest in the class.
Lowest degree: Rosa è la meno intelligente di tutti. (definite article + meno+ adjective + di)
Rosa is the least intelligent of all.
Absolute superlative
È un prezzo bassissimo.
It is a very low price.
La macchina è comodissima.
The car is absolutely comfortable.
Notice how the -issimo / -issima / -issimi / -issime endings can add to the meaning of an ordinary
adjective.
In Italian Absolute Superlative (e.g. very low, absolutely comfortable, extremely beautiful) can be
formed in two ways.
1. By dropping the final vowel of the masculine plural form of the adjective and adding -issimo
ending:
basso – bassi – bass – bassissimo
2. By using adverbs such as molto, estremamente, assai before the adjective. Remember that
adverbs are invariabile which means that they do not change (e.g. la macchina è molto
comoda; le gomme sono molto buone).
Summing up
La valigia è pienissima!
The regular forms are used along with the irregular ones. Usually the regular forms have a literal
meaning.