Review of the Comparison of Adjectives

Positive Degree Adjectives

1st and 2nd Declension Adjectives

fidus fida fidum - faithfulmiser misera miserum - poor, wretchedpulcher pulchra pulchrum - beautiful

3rd Declension Adjectives

acer acris acre - sharp, fierce (three termination)brevis breve - short (two termination)potens potentis - powerful (one termination)

Comparative Degree Adjectives

English = more adjective, ______-er, rather ________, too______English Positive Degree: shortEnglish Comparative Degree: shorter, more short, rather short,

too short

Latin = Positive Degree Stem + ior (mas. & fem) ius (neu.) genitive: ioris

All Latin Comparative Degree Adjectives are declined as two termination third declension adjectives with regular third declension endings (not “i” stem endings).

Superlative Degree Adjectives

English = most adjective, ______-est, very ________, quite_______English Positive Degree: shortEnglish Comparative Degree: shorter, more short, too short,

rather shortEnglish Superlative Degree: shortest, most short, very short

quite shortLatin =

1. Positive Degree Stem + issimus issima issimum2. ( -er Adjectives) Nom. Mas. Sing. + rimus rima rimum3. (six Adjectives) Positive Degree Stem + limus lima limum

All Latin Superlative Degree Adjectives are declined as first and second declension adjectives.

The six Latin Adjectives that use limus lima limum to form the Superlative Degree.

similis simile similar, likedissimilis dissimile dissimilarfacilis facile easydifficilis difficile difficult, hardhumilis humile lowgracilis gracile slender

In the Positive Degree these words are third declensiontwo termination adjectives.

Positive Degree Adjectives

fidus fida fidum - faithfulmiser misera miserum - poor, wretchedpulcher pulchra pulchrum - beautifulacer acris acre - sharp, fierce (three termination)brevis breve - short (two termination)potens potentis - powerful (one termination)similis simile – similar (two termination)

Comparative Degree Adjectives

fidior fidius - more faithfulmiserior miserius - poorer, more wretchedpulchrior pulchrius - more beautifulacrior acrius - sharper, more fiercebrevior brevius - shorterpotentior potentius - more powerfulsimilior similius – more similar

Superlative Degree Adjectives

fidissimus –a -um - most faithfulmiserrimus –a -um - poorest, most wretchedpulcherrimus –a -um - most beautifulacerrimus –a -um - sharpest, most fiercebrevissimus –a -um - shortestpotentissimus –a -um - most powerfulsimillimus –a -um – most similar

Partitive Genitive (Genitive of the Whole)

1. The Partitive Genitive, sometimes called the Genitive of the Whole, designates the whole of which a part is taken. It is used with nouns, pronouns (interrogative or indefinite), adjectives, adverbs (of quantity, degree, or place), comparatives, superlatives, and ordinal numbers. In these expressions, the genitive denotes the whole, modifying a word denoting a part.

2. Ex or de with the ablative case is generally used instead of the genitive with numerals, especially cardinal numbers (except milia and with quidam, a certain one). Ordinals generally take the genitive.

1. pars montis, part of the mountain2. unus ex liberis, one of the children3. duo milia militum, two thousands of soldiers (two thousand soldiers)4. primus omnium, first of all5. quidam ex legatis, certain of the legates6. quis nostrum?, who of us?7. pulchrior puellarum, the prettier of (two) girls8. horum fortissimi, the bravest of these