יותר / הכי

Comparisons and Superlatives

Level 2

יותר can mean more or more ... than. הכי commonly marks the highest degree within a group: הכי גדול, biggest.

How It Works

A Comparison

Place יותר near the adjective: גדול יותר or יותר גדול. Both orders occur in contemporary Hebrew. Add מ or מאשר to identify the comparison standard: גדול יותר מהבית שלי. A personal form can be ממני, than me.

The Highest Degree

הכי is common in conversation: היא הכי מהירה בכיתה, she is the fastest in the class. More formal writing also uses forms such as הגדולה ביותר. The group or comparison context makes the ranking meaningful.

Other Uses of More

יותר can also concern quantity or frequency: יותר מים and אני קורא יותר. Do not require an adjective in every occurrence. A comparison does not create an English -er ending in the Hebrew adjective.

Examples (4)

  1. הבית הזה גדול יותר.

    This house is bigger.

    יותר adds the comparison.

  2. הדירה הזאת גדולה יותר מהדירה שלי.

    This apartment is bigger than my apartment.

    גדולה agrees with דירה.

  3. היא הכי מהירה בכיתה.

    She is the fastest in the class.

    הכי marks the highest degree in the group.

  4. אני רוצה יותר מים.

    I want more water.

    יותר can mark quantity.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

יותר / הכיLevel 2Comparisons and Superlatives

Learn This First

Compare a quality and identify its highest degree without changing adjective agreement.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.