What are comparatives in Russian?

Comparatives are forms of adjectives and adverbs that are used to compare two things, people, ideas, situations, or actions. In English, comparatives look like this:

• comparative adjective

  Maria is taller than Helen.
• comparative adverb

  Maria exercises more frequently now than before.

In this post we are going to look at how to form Russian comparative adjectives and comparative adverbs. We’ll also introduce you to some of the most common ways to use them in sentences. Let’s have a look!

Comparative adjectives and adverbs show which of the two objects or actions has a more intense characteristic.

One major similarity between comparatives in Russian and in English is that there are two ways to make them: a simple form, created by adding suffixes to the adjective/adverb base (compare: “fast-er”), and a compound form, created by adding words to the adjective/adverb (compare: “more recently,” “less humid”).

Compound comparatives are formed by putting the words более (transcribed BOliye, meaning “more”) or менее (transcribed MYEniye, meaning “less”) before a long form of an adjective or an adverb, for example:

Unlike simple comparatives, compound forms can be made from virtually any qualitative adjective. Another difference from simple comparatives is that compound ones do agree with nouns they modify in gender, number, and case. For example:

In Russian many adjectives/adverbs have both a simple and a compound comparative form. You can use these interchangeably:

Though simple comparatives are a bit more popular in Russian everyday speech, there is no real difference in meaning between the two.

However, there are some adjectives/adverbs in Russian that do not have a simple comparative form. Most of them have a base that ends in -ск-, -еск-, -ов-, -к-, -оньк-, -оват-, -л-, or -н-. So, if your adjective or adverb has one of these endings, you will most likely have to use a compound comparative. A couple common adjectives like this are:

• дружеский

  Transcription: DROOzheskiy

  Translation: friendly
• нагловатый

  Transcription: naglaVAtyi

  Translation: a bit insolent/cheeky

Like in English, comparatives in Russian can only be made from so-called descriptive, or qualitative, adjectives and the adverbs that are derived from them. For example:

• свежий (transcribed SVYEzhyi, meaning “fresh”) / свежо (transcribed sviZHO, meaning “freshly”)

• широкий (transcribed shyROkiy, meaning “wide”) / широко (transcribed shyraKO, meaning “widely”)

So, there are some adjectives and adverbs that do not have a comparative form at all. Most of these are:

• Relative adjectives, which are a small group of adjectives in Russian that we use to give the type (“a coffee table”), material (“a glass door”), time (“a morning meeting”), or place (“a bedroom closet”) of a noun.

• Adjectives describing a permanent or absolute quality, like мёртвый (transcribed MYORTvyi, meaning “dead”), слепой (transcribed sliPOY, meaning “blind”).

Comparatives can be used in a sentence in three main ways:

1. With the conjunction чем

   The most basic way to make a comparison using Russian comparatives is to use чем (transcribed chem, meaning “than”), to introduce the second thing in the comparison. Things being compared using чем will always be separated by a comma. For example:

   • comparative adjective

     У нас в офисе теплее, чем у вас.

     Transcription: oo nas v Ofisye tipLYEye chem oo vas.

     Translation: It is warmer in our office than it is in yours.
   • comparative adverb

     Ты поступил более порядочно, чем твой друг.

     Transcription: ty pastooPEEL BOliye paRYAdachna chem tvoy drook.

     Translation: You acted more decently than your friend.

2. Put the comparative between the two things you’re comparing

   You can also form a comparison with comparatives in Russian by putting the two things being compared on either side of a simple comparative adjective/adverb. Use the cases below:

   Noun 1
   nominative / accusative

   

   comparative

   

   Noun 2
   genitive

   For example:

   • nominative casecomparativegenitive case

     Наш офис теплее вашего.

     Transcription: nash Ofis tipLYEye VAsheva.

     Translation: Our office is warmer (than) yours.
   • nominative casecomparativegenitive case

     Ты поступил порядочнее твоего друга.

     Transcription: ty pastooPEEL paRYAdachnyeye tvoiVO DROOga.

     Translation: You acted more decently (than) your friend.
   • accusative casecomparativegenitive case

     Она любит тюльпаны больше любых других цветов.

     Transcription: aNA LYUbit tyulPAny BOLshe lyuBYKH drooGEEKH tsviTOF.

     Translation: She loves tulips more (than) any other flowers.

     Here the first noun is accusative because it is the object of the verb.

3. Without any explicit comparison

   It is also possible to use a comparative without making an explicit comparison. Usually this happens with imperatives, as in:

   comparative

   Иди сюда скорее!

   Transcription: iDEE syuDA skaRYEye!

   Translation: Come here, quicker!

We have looked at how to make and use comparative forms of adjectives and adverbs in Russian. Here are the key points:

• Short forms of comparatives are made with suffixes -ее/-ей , -е, -ше.

• Compound forms of comparatives are made by adding words более (transcribed BOliye, meaning “more”) and менее (transcribed MYEniye, meaning “less”) to adjectives and adverbs.

• You can use comparatives in sentences with чем (transcribed chem, meaning “than”), with the genitive case or with imperatives.

Ready for some practice? Download the activity sheet below!