hraðari

Hraðari is an Icelandic word serving primarily as the comparative form of the adjective hraður, meaning "fast" or "quick." It expresses a greater degree of speed and is commonly used in both spoken and written Icelandic when comparing two or more entities.

Form and grammar

Hraðari is formed regularly by adding the comparative suffix -ari to the positive adjective. As with other Icelandic comparatives, it agrees with the noun it modifies in gender, number and case, and it is used with en ("than") in explicit comparisons. The corresponding superlative is hraðastur.

Usage and meaning

Used attributively or predicatively, hraðari corresponds to English "faster" or "more rapid." It can also function as a nominalized adjective meaning "the faster one" when context supplies the noun. Example sentences: "Þessi bíll er hraðari en sá" ("This car is faster than that one") and "Hún varð hraðari en ég á hlaupinu" ("She became faster than me in the run").

Etymology and relations

The word traces its origin to Old Norse adjective forms for speed and shares common roots with other North Germanic adjectives for quickness. Its formation and use follow regular Icelandic adjective-comparison patterns, making it a standard element of the language’s comparative system.