adjektivA2
Komparasjon
[Comparison of Adjectives]We use either comparative or superlative forms when comparing. Regular adjectives form comparative with -ere and superlative with -est.
1. Comparative (-ere)
We use comparative to compare two or more people or things. It is formed with -ere and has the same form across all genders and numbers:
Examples:
Sondre er høy, men broren er høyere.Sondre is tall, but his brother is taller.
Katten er rask, men hunden er raskere.The cat is fast, but the dog is faster.
Dette huset er fint, men det huset er finere.This house is nice, but that house is nicer.
Fjellene i Norge er høye, men fjellene i Nepal er høyere.The mountains in Norway are high, but the mountains in Nepal are higher.
Comparative before a noun:
Jeg vil kjøpe en varmere genser.I want to buy a warmer sweater.
Vi ser etter en større leilighet i Oslo.We are looking for a bigger apartment in Oslo.
Hun trenger en raskere sykkel.She needs a faster bicycle.
Comparison with 'enn' (pronouns in object form):
Use 'enn' to compare items in one sentence. Pronouns take object form after 'enn':
Magnus er eldre enn Mathias.Magnus is older than Mathias.
Nora løper raskere enn meg.Nora runs faster than me.
Bilen er dyrere enn bussen.The car is more expensive than the bus.
De snakker bedre norsk enn oss.They speak Norwegian better than us.
2. Superlative (-est)
Use superlative when referring to a maximum value, formed with -est:
Examples:
Galdhøpiggen er det høyeste fjellet i Norge.Galdhøpiggen is the highest mountain in Norway.
Hvem løper raskest av Nora og Emilie? Nora løper raskest.Who runs fastest of Nora and Emilie? Nora runs fastest.
Juli er den varmeste måneden i året.July is the warmest month of the year.
Definite form in superlative (article + adjective ending in -e):
In definite superlative, the adjective takes -e ending and requires a definite article:
Sigrid er den flinkeste jenta i klassen.Sigrid is the smartest girl in the class.
Dette er det eldste huset i gata.This is the oldest house on the street.
De fineste kakene står på bordet.The nicest cakes are on the table.
3. Adjectives with Special Patterns
Certain adjective groups follow contracted comparison patterns:
Rule
Kontraksjon på -el, -er, -en(Contraction on -el, -er, -en)
Positive
åpen(open)
Comparative
åpnere(more open)
Superlative
åpnest(most open)
Rule
Kontraksjon(Contraction)
Positive
vakker(beautiful)
Comparative
vakrere(more beautiful)
Superlative
vakrest(most beautiful)
Rule
Kontraksjon(Contraction)
Positive
enkel(simple)
Comparative
enklere(simpler)
Superlative
enklest(simplest)
Rule
Bare -st på -ig / -som(Only -st on -ig / -som)
Positive
billig(cheap)
Comparative
billigere(cheaper)
Superlative
billigst(cheapest)
Rule
Bare -st på -ig / -som(Only -st on -ig / -som)
Positive
morsom(funny)
Comparative
morsommere(funnier)
Superlative
morsomst(funniest)
| Rule | Positive | Comparative | Superlative |
|---|---|---|---|
Kontraksjon på -el, -er, -enContraction on -el, -er, -en | åpenopen | åpneremore open | åpnestmost open |
KontraksjonContraction | vakkerbeautiful | vakreremore beautiful | vakrestmost beautiful |
KontraksjonContraction | enkelsimple | enkleresimpler | enklestsimplest |
Bare -st på -ig / -somOnly -st on -ig / -som | billigcheap | billigerecheaper | billigstcheapest |
Bare -st på -ig / -somOnly -st on -ig / -som | morsomfunny | morsommerefunnier | morsomstfunniest |
4. Comparison with 'mer' and 'mest'
Use 'mer' and 'mest' for adjectives ending in -e and -isk, adjectives with 3+ syllables (except -lig), and participles:
Examples:
moderne → mer moderne → mest moderne (slutter på -e)modern → more modern → most modern
praktisk → mer praktisk → mest praktisk (slutter på -isk)practical → more practical → most practical
interessant → mer interessant → mest interessant (3 stavelser)interesting → more interesting → most interesting
hyggelig → hyggeligere → hyggeligst (adjektiv med -lig har alltid vanlig komparasjon)pleasant → more pleasant → most pleasant
bråkete → mer bråkete → mest bråkete (slutter på -e)noisy → more noisy → most noisy
5. Irregular Comparison
Common adjectives with irregular comparative and superlative forms. See the complete reference in Irregular Adjectives:
Positive
bra / god(good)
Comparative
bedre(better)
Superlative
best(best)
Positive
gammel(old)
Comparative
eldre(older)
Superlative
eldst(oldest)
Positive
ille / vond(bad)
Comparative
verre(worse)
Superlative
verst(worst)
Positive
lang(long)
Comparative
lengre(longer)
Superlative
lengst(longest)
Positive
liten(small)
Comparative
mindre(smaller)
Superlative
minst(smallest)
Positive
stor(big)
Comparative
større(bigger)
Superlative
størst(biggest)
Positive
tung(heavy)
Comparative
tyngre(heavier)
Superlative
tyngst(heaviest)
Positive
ung(young)
Comparative
yngre(younger)
Superlative
yngst(youngest)
| Positive | Comparative | Superlative |
|---|---|---|
bra / godgood | bedrebetter | best |
gammelold | eldreolder | eldstoldest |
ille / vondbad | verreworse | verstworst |
langlong | lengrelonger | lengstlongest |
litensmall | mindresmaller | minstsmallest |
storbig | størrebigger | størstbiggest |
tungheavy | tyngreheavier | tyngstheaviest |
ungyoung | yngreyounger | yngstyoungest |
6. Negative Comparison and Equality
Use 'mindre' and 'minst' for negative comparison, or 'ikke så ... som'. Use 'like ... som' for equality:
Negative comparison (mindre / minst / ikke så – som):
Frida er mindre stresset enn Emil.Frida is less stressed than Emil.
Alle var slitne, men Astrid var minst sliten.Everyone was tired, but Astrid was least tired.
Bussen er ikke så rask som toget.The bus is not as fast as the train.
Equality with 'like ... som' (adjective agrees with subject):
Katten er like søt som hunden.The cat is as cute as the dog.
Boka er like spennende som filmen.The book is as exciting as the movie.
Bilen er like rask som toget.The car is as fast as the train.
Without 'som' (adjective is always in plural -e):
De to husene er like fine.The two houses are equally nice.
Magnus og Henrik er like høye.Magnus and Henrik are equally tall.
Proportional comparison: 'Jo ... jo / desto' (The more, the better):
When two qualities correlate proportionally, use 'jo ... jo' or 'jo ... desto'. The first clause is subordinate (jo + subject + verb), while the second is a main clause with V2 inversion (desto + comparative + VERB + subject):
Jo flere, jo bedre.The more, the better.
Jo mer hun trente, desto flinkere ble hun.The more she trained, the better she became.
Jo tidligere du kommer, desto mer tid har vi.The earlier you arrive, the more time we will have.