suurem

Suurem is the comparative form of the Estonian adjective suur, meaning big or large. It is used to express that something has a greater size than another thing. In English, suur is “big” and suurem is “bigger.” The standard superlative is suurim, with kõigi due to emphasis often expressed as kõige suurem.

Etymology and form: suur comes from the Proto-Finnic root for “large.” The comparative suffix -em attaches to the stem to produce suurem, following the pattern of Estonian comparative formation. Like other Estonian adjectives, suurem declines to agree with the noun in number and case, so its exact ending changes in different grammatical forms (for example in phrases like suurema maja, suuremat maja, suurema puhul, etc.).

Usage: suurem is used in attributive and predicative positions to compare two or more entities. Examples include: See auto on suurem kui see (This car is bigger than that). It can also modify nouns in compound expressions such as suurema osa (a larger part) or suurema summa (a larger amount). For the highest degree, speakers typically use suurim or the phrase kõige suurem, depending on emphasis and formality.

Related terms: suur is the positive form; suurim is the standard superlative form. The word is primarily used in standard Estonian, though colloquial speech may employ alternative intensifiers for emphasis.

Overall, suurem is a core part of Estonian comparative grammar and is routinely used to compare physical size as well as more abstract magnitudes.