võrdlusaste

Võrdlusaste refers to the grammatical concept of comparison in Estonian, indicating the degree of a quality or characteristic. There are three main võrdlusaste: the positive, the comparative, and the superlative. The positive degree, or algkuju, represents the basic form of an adjective or adverb, stating the quality without any comparison. For example, "ilus" (beautiful) is in the positive degree.

The comparative degree, or keskkraad, is used to compare two things, indicating that one possesses a quality to a greater extent than the other. This is typically formed by adding suffixes like "-m" or "-im" to the adjective or adverb, or by using the word "rohkem" (more). For instance, "ilusam" (more beautiful) or "rohkem ilus" (more beautiful) are comparative forms.

The superlative degree, or ülivõrre, indicates the highest degree of a quality among three or more items. It signifies that something possesses a quality to the greatest extent. This is usually formed by adding suffixes like "-im" or "-im" to the adjective or adverb, or by using the word "kõige" (most). Examples include "kõige ilusam" (most beautiful) or "iliraim" (most beautiful, an older form). Understanding võrdlusaste is crucial for constructing grammatically correct comparative sentences in Estonian.