Võrdlusastmete

Võrdlusastmed, known in English as degrees of comparison, are grammatical forms used to express differences in quality or quantity between two or more things. In Estonian, like many other languages, adjectives and adverbs have three main degrees of comparison: the positive, the comparative, and the superlative.

The positive degree is the base form of the adjective or adverb, simply describing a quality without comparison. For example, "hea" (good) or "kiire" (fast) are in the positive degree.

The comparative degree is used to compare two things, indicating that one possesses a quality to a greater extent than the other. In Estonian, the comparative is typically formed by adding the suffix "-m" or "-m" to the stem of the adjective or adverb, often with vowel gradation. For instance, "hea" becomes "parem" (better), and "kiire" becomes "kiirem" (faster).

The superlative degree is used to compare three or more things, indicating that one possesses a quality to the highest degree. The superlative is generally formed by adding the suffix "-im" or "-im" to the stem, again frequently involving vowel gradation. Thus, "hea" becomes "parim" (best), and "kiire" becomes "kiireim" (fastest). In some cases, the superlative can also be formed using the word "kõige" (most) followed by the positive degree, especially for adjectives that do not easily form the "-im" superlative. For example, "kõige huvitavam" (most interesting). Understanding võrdlusastmed is crucial for precise expression and nuanced description in the Estonian language.