Irregular Comparison
Some of the most common adjectives are irregular: góður → betri → bestur (good, better, best).
How It Works
The irregular sets.
- góður → betri → bestur (good, better, best)
- vondur → verri → verstur (bad, worse, worst)
- gamall → eldri → elstur (old, older, oldest)
- lítill → minni → minnstur (small, smaller, smallest)
- mikill → meiri → mestur (much, more, most)
- margir → fleiri → flestir (many, more, most)
Endings. They take the same endings as other comparatives and superlatives. The comparative is betri everywhere except the neuter singular betra: betri maður, betri kona, betra barn. The superlative is strong alone and weak before a definite noun: Þessi er bestur, besti veitingastaðurinn.
meiri or fleiri? Both mean more. Use fleiri with things you can count: fleiri bækur (more books). Use meiri with things you cannot count: meiri mjólk (more milk), meiri tími (more time). In the same way, flestir means most people or things: Flestir Íslendingar tala ensku.
Vowel changes. Some regular adjectives also change their vowel, like ungur → yngri → yngstur and langur → lengri → lengstur, but they keep the same stem. lítill/gamall shows how lítill and gamall change in the positive form too.
The adverbs have their own irregular forms: vel, betur, best (comparative adverbs).
Examples (6)
- Kaffið hérna er betra.
The coffee here is better.
Word by Word: The-coffee here is better.
Neuter singular: betra.
- Þetta er besti veitingastaðurinn í bænum.
This is the best restaurant in town.
Word by Word: This is best the-restaurant in the-town.
- Eldri systir mín heitir Anna.
My older sister is called Anna.
Word by Word: Older sister my is-called Anna.
- Veðrið var verra í gær.
The weather was worse yesterday.
Word by Word: The-weather was worse yesterday.
- Áttu minni stærð?
Do you have a smaller size?
Word by Word: Have-you smaller size?
- Flestir Íslendingar tala ensku.
Most Icelanders speak English.
Word by Word: Most Icelanders speak English.
Common Mistakes
Making a regular comparative from góður.
Þessi er góðari.Þessi er betri.góður is irregular: góður, betri, bestur.
Making a regular comparative from gamall.
Hann er gamlari en ég.Hann er eldri en ég.gamall is irregular: gamall, eldri, elstur.
Using meiri with things you can count.
Ég á meiri bækur en þú.Ég á fleiri bækur en þú.Use fleiri for countable things like books and people. meiri is for things like milk, time and money.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Irregular comparison builds on both regular forms.
Related Patterns
- Comparing: -ari and -ri
The regular comparative with -ari and -ri.
Level 2 - Comparative + enThan (Comparative + En)
How to say than: betri en, eldri en.
Level 2 - Better, More and Most
The irregular adverbs: vel, betur, best.
Level 4 - Adjectives Like lítill and gamall
The other forms of lítill and gamall.
Level 3 - miklu + ComparativeMuch Bigger (Miklu Stærri)
How to say much better: miklu betri.
Level 4
Words in This Pattern
Practice Irregular Comparison in Bubblegum
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