Comparative (-m)

Level 2

The comparative means "more ..." or "-er". Take the genitive form of the adjective and add -m: suur, suure → suurem (bigger), ilus, ilusa → ilusam (more beautiful), odav, odava → odavam (cheaper).

How It Works

The main rule: genitive + -m

  • suur, suure → suurem (bigger)
  • kiire, kiire → kiirem (faster)
  • ilus, ilusa → ilusam (more beautiful)
  • vaba, vaba → vabam (freer)
  • aeglane, aeglase → aeglasem (slower)

The -e group
Some short adjectives, mostly one syllable in the basic form, change the -a or -u of the genitive to -e:

  • pikk, pika → pikem (taller, longer)
  • tark, targa → targem (smarter)
  • halb, halva → halvem (worse)
  • külm, külma → külmem (colder)
  • paks, paksu → paksem (thicker)
  • soe, sooja → soojem (warmer)
  • and also vana, vana → vanem (older)

This change does not apply to every word in -a: ilusam, vabam, odavam keep their vowel. Learn the -e forms as you meet them.

Special forms

  • hea → parem (better)
  • väike → väiksem (smaller)
  • lühike → lühem (shorter)
  • õhuke → õhem (thinner)

Using the comparative

  • Say what you compare with using kui: Tallinn on suurem kui Tartu.
  • Make it stronger with palju (much) or veel (even), or softer with natuke (a little): palju parem, veel suurem, natuke odavam.
  • The comparative takes case endings: parem, parema, paremat. Kas sul on midagi odavamat? (Do you have anything cheaper?)
  • For "the biggest", put kõige in front: kõige suurem.

Examples (6)

  1. See maja on suurem.

    This house is bigger.

    Word by Word: this house is bigger

  2. Täna on soojem kui eile.

    It's warmer today than yesterday.

    Word by Word: today is warmer than yesterday

  3. Minu vend on vanem.

    My brother is older.

    Word by Word: my brother is older

  4. See kohv on palju parem.

    This coffee is much better.

    Word by Word: this coffee is much better

  5. Kas sul on midagi odavamat?

    Do you have anything cheaper?

    Word by Word: Q you-at is something cheaper(PART)

    The comparative takes the partitive ending here, just like any adjective after midagi.

  6. Päevad lähevad lühemaks.

    The days are getting shorter.

    Word by Word: days go shorter-into

    lühem is the comparative of lühike. Here it takes the translative ending -ks.

Common Mistakes

  • Using rohkem (more) with the basic form, as in English.

    See maja on rohkem suur.
    See maja on suurem.

    Estonian adjectives have their own comparative form with -m. rohkem means "more" in amount, as in rohkem aega (more time).

  • Building a regular comparative from hea.

    See kohv on heam.
    See kohv on parem.

    hea (good) has the special comparative parem (better).

  • Changing -a to -e in a word that keeps its vowel.

    Uus korter on ilusem.
    Uus korter on ilusam.

    Only a small group of short adjectives, such as pikk → pikem, change the vowel to -e. ilus, ilusa keeps -a: ilusam.

How It Connects

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Comparative (-m)Level 2

Learn This First

The comparative adds -m to the genitive stem.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

-mpikkvanaväike