Comparatives in -iji / -ji / -ši

Comparing Qualities

Level 3

Comparatives often change the ending and sometimes the stem.

How It Works

The endings often described as -iji, -ji and -ši do not attach freely to any adjective. Stem changes can make the result less transparent: mlad → mlađi and lijep → ljepši.

The comparative is still an adjective. It agrees with its noun: noviji auto, novija knjiga, novije računalo. Other cases also change the ending.

A comparative expresses a greater degree of a quality, not necessarily praise. Hladniji means colder and skuplji means more expensive. The context supplies the comparison even when no second object is named.

Examples (3)

  1. Ovaj je auto noviji.

    This car is newer.

    Noviji is masculine singular.

  2. Ana je mlađa od Ivana.

    Ana is younger than Ivan.

    Mlađa has a changed stem and feminine agreement.

  3. Ta je slika ljepša.

    That picture is more beautiful.

    Lijep becomes ljepši, here feminine ljepša.

How It Connects

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Comparatives in -iji / -ji / -šiLevel 3Comparing Qualities

Learn This First

Comparatives change an adjective’s degree while retaining its agreement behavior.

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Patterns that build on this one.