Better, Bigger, Best: Comparison
Comparing is arguing's polite cousin, and Russians do both with gusto — Москва или Петербург? зима или лето? This lesson arms you for every version of the debate.
The -ее Ending
Most adjectives compare with -ее — and the comparative never changes form:
| Adjective | Comparative | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| интересный | интереснее | more interesting |
| красивый | красивее | more beautiful |
| тёплый | теплее | warmer |
| холодный | холоднее | colder |
The Famous Four
The most-used comparatives are irregular — like English good → better:
| Adjective | Comparative | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| хороший | лучше | better |
| плохой | хуже | worse |
| большой | больше | bigger / more |
| маленький | меньше | smaller / less |
than = чем
Москва больше, чем Тверь.
Moscow is bigger than Tver.
Note: Comma before чем, always. Больше, чем — bigger than.
Зима лучше, чем лето!
Winter is better than summer!
Что?! Летом теплее, красивее и веселее!
What?! Summer is warmer, prettier and more fun!
The Best
самый + adjective — the most. It agrees like any adjective:
| Russian | English |
|---|---|
| самый большой город | the biggest city |
| самая интересная книга | the most interesting book |
| Байкал — самое глубокое озеро в мире. | Baikal is the deepest lake in the world. |
Common Mistakes
- Agreement on comparatives. Интереснее never changes — no интереснее-ая exists.
- Более + irregulars. Более лучше is a double comparative — just лучше.
- Skipping the comma. Больше, чем — the comma before чем is standard.
What You Can Do Now
You can compare cities, seasons, prices and books — and crown a winner with самый. The Москва-или-Петербург debate now has room for your opinion.