Italian Degree of Comparison Adjectives

There are three types of degree of comparison adjectives in Italian: positivo (positive), comparativo (comparative), and superlativo (superlative). Positive Adjectives (Aggettivi di Grado Positivo)Italian positive adjectives are those that do not provide any comparison: Il clima à ¨ mite.The climate is mild. La poltrona à ¨ comoda.The seat is comfortable. Comparative Adjectives (Aggettivi di Grado Comparativo)An adjective is comparative when it expresses a comparison between people, animals, things, different degrees of quality, or diverse actions. With respect to the type of comparison offered, the comparative can be: of maggioranza—expressed by the adverb pià ¹ (placed before the adjective) and the preposition di or the conjunction che (placed before the second term of comparison): Piero à ¨ pià ¹ studioso di Andrea.Piero is more studious than Andrea. Carlo à ¨ pià ¹ pigro che volenteroso.Charles is more lazy than eager. NOTE: Che is preferred instead of da before an adjective, participle, or infinitive. of uguaglianza, expressed by the correlative adverbs (tanto)†¦quanto, (cosà ¬)†¦come: Giulia à ¨ (tanto) bella quanto sua madre.Julia is as beautiful as her mother. Marco à ¨ (tanto) gentile quanto premuroso.Mark is as gentle as he is thoughtful. Luigi à ¨ (cosà ¬) alto come Giorgio.Luigi is as tall as George. of minoranza —expressed by the adverb meno (placed before the adjective) and the preposition di or the conjunction che (placed before the second term of comparison): Sono meno paziente di te.Im less patient than you. Ti considero meno volenteroso che intelligente.I consider you less eager than intelligent. NOTE: The comparatives of maggioranza and minoranza can sometimes be modified, reinforced, or weakened by the adverbs molto, poco, troppo, assai, tanto, alquanto, parecchio, and un po: Mario à ¨ poco pià ¹ grande del fratello.Mario is not much bigger than his brother. Sono molto meno stanco di te.I am much less tired than you. Superlative Adjectives (Aggettivi di Grado Superlativo)Superlative adjectives indicate an exceptional or extraordinary quality. The superlative degree may be assoluto (absolute) or relativo (relative): assoluto when it offers no comparison with other people or things or qualities. It is formed:  »Ã‚  by adding the ending issimo to the adjective dolce—dolcissimo—dolcissimiamara—amarissima—amarissime NOTE: The adjectives ending in co and go retain or lose their guttural sound according to the relevant rules of plural formation: ricco—ricchissimopratico—pratichissimo NOTE: adjectives ending in io, in which the i is tonic, keep the letter in the superlative form: pio—piissimo NOTE: adjectives ending in io, in which the i is atonic, lose that letter in the superlative form: saggio— saggissimo  »Ã‚  in a few instances by adding the ending errimo to the adjective: acre—acerrimo aspro—asperrimo (asprissimo) celebre—celeberrimo integro—integerrimo misero—miserrimo (miserissimo)  »Ã‚  by adding the ending entissimo to adjectives that end in dico, fico, or vole: benefico—beneficentissimo benevolo—benevolentissimo maledico—maledicentissimo malevolo—malevolentissimo magnifico—magnificentissimo munifico—munificentissimo  »Ã‚  by repetition of the adjective: un cane piccolo piccoloa small dog unandatura lenta lentaa slow pace  »Ã‚  prefacing the adjective with adverbs such as molto, assai, estremamente, straordinariamente, enormemente, or oltremodo: un libro molto interessantea very interesting book una gita assai movimentataa very eventful trip un film estremamente realisticoan extremely realistic film  »Ã‚  placing phrases as quanto mai or oltre ogni dire before or after the adjective: una giornata quanto mai noiosaa very annoying day un uomo abitudinario oltre ogni direa creature of habit beyond words  »Ã‚  by adding prefixes such as arci, extra, iper, sopra, sovra, stra, super, or ultra: unopera arcinotaa very well-known work una matita extrafineextra-fine pencil un giornalista ipercriticoa hypercritical journalist uno sforzo sovrumanoa superhuman effort un uomo strariccoan extremely rich man un motore superpotenzea super-powerful engine una politica ultraconservatricean ultra-conservative politician  »Ã‚  with the use of expressions that reinforce the meaning of the adjective: bello da impazzireso good-looking that it makes one crazy matto da legaremad as a hatter pazzo furiosomadman ricco sfondatofilthy rich stanco mortodead tired ubriaco fradicioblind drunk, smashed, blotto relativo when it indicates an exceptional or extraordinary quality; however, it must be in relation to a defined group or restricted to people or things of the same kind. It is formed:  »Ã‚  by prefacing the comparativo di maggioranza or comparativo di minoranza with a definite article and placing a term such as di, tra, or che before the second term of comparison: il pià ¹ serio tra i colleghithe most serious among colleagues il meno spiritoso della compagniathe least witty of the group NOTE:  »Ã‚  the definite article may precede the noun instead of the relative superlative: Quello à ¨ il treno pià ¹ veloce del mondo.That is the fastest train in the world. Quel treno à ¨ il pià ¹ veloce del mondo.That train is the fastest in the world.  »Ã‚  the second term of comparison can be implied: Carlo à ¨ il pià ¹ fortunato (tra gli amici, i colleghi)Charles is the luckiest (among friends, colleagues) There are some  aggettivi  qualificativi  (qualifying adjectives) that, in addition to the normal form of the comparative and superlative, have a Latin-derived form that is preferred in figurative expressions (see table below): la  cima  pià ¹Ã‚  altathe highest peak il  somma  poetathe great poet il  pià ¹ piccolo  sforzothe smallest effort la  minima  importanzathe least significant There are some adjectives that lack the positive (grado  positive) and other forms: POSITIVO  Ã‚  Ã‚  COMPARATIVO  Ã‚  Ã‚  SUPERLATIVO ASSOLUTO—  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  primo—  Ã‚  Ã‚  anteriore  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  posteriore  Ã‚  Ã‚  postumo—  Ã‚  Ã‚  ulteriore  Ã‚  Ã‚  ultimo Il  primo  dellanno (il giorno che precede tutti gli altri)The first of the year (the day that precedes all the others) i  fatti  anteriori  allaccaduto (precedenti)the facts prior to the incident le zampe  anteriori  del cavallo (davanti)the forelegs of the horse un documento  posteriore  (successivo)a subsequent document le zampe  posteriori  (di dietro)the hind legs unopera  postuma  (pubblicata dopo la morte)a posthumous work ulteriori  chiarimenti (successivi e aggiuntivi)further clarifications lultimo  treno (che viene dopo tutti gli altri)the last train (which comes after all the others) lultima  casa della strada (la pià ¹ lontana)the last house on the street (the farthest) Adjectives that lack a comparative and superlative form include:  »Ã‚  adjectives that indicate material characteristics or qualities: chimicochemical romboidalerhomboidal ironferreo  »Ã‚  adjectives that indicate time periods: giornalierodaily settimanaleweekly mensilemonthly  »Ã‚  adjectives expressing nationalities, religions, or political beliefs: statunitenseU.S. protestanteProtestant comunistaCommunist  »Ã‚  adjectives already altered: grassoccioplump piccolinolittle one grandicellogrown-ups ALTERNATIVE FORMS OF AGGETTIVI QUALIFICATIVI POSITIVO COMPARATIVO SUPERLATIVO ASSOLUTO alto superiore sommo/supremo basso inferiore infimo buono migliore ottimo cattivo peggiore pessimo grande maggiore massimo piccolo minore minimo interno interiore intimo esterno esteriore estremo vicino (viciniore) prossimo