Comparison With bun / rău / mare / mic
Common Comparison Words
Bun, rău, mare and mic use the regular pattern mai + adjective. Their English equivalents often have irregular forms, and their meanings include quality, size and age.
How It Works
These common adjectives form comparisons with the separate adverb mai. Even for these high-frequency words, the stem remains the same, avoiding the stem changes found in English or Latin.
- mai bun / mai bună: Better (Quality).
- mai rău / mai rea: Worse (Quality/Condition).
- mai mare: Bigger (Size) OR Older (Age).
- mai mic / mai mică: Smaller (Size) OR Younger (Age).
Agreement is Mandatory:
Even though you add mai, the adjective must still agree with the noun in gender and number. For example: o fată mai bună (a better girl) vs. un băiat mai bun (a better boy).
Adjective vs. Adverb:
Be careful with 'better'. Use mai bun to describe a noun (a better book), but use mai bine to describe an action (he sings better).
Comparison Connectors:
To say 'than', use decât. For equality ('as... as'), use la fel de... ca.
Examples (5)
- Fratele meu este mai mare decât mine.
My brother is older than me.
Word by Word: Brother-the my is more big than me.
In this context, 'mai mare' refers to age (older) rather than physical size.
- Această soluție este mai bună.
This solution is better.
Word by Word: This solution is more good.
Note how 'bună' agrees with the feminine noun 'soluție'.
- Vremea este mai rea astăzi.
The weather is worse today.
Word by Word: Weather-the is more bad today.
'Mai rea' is the feminine singular comparative of 'rău'.
- Ea are o soră mai mică.
She has a younger sister.
Word by Word: She has a sister more small.
'Mai mică' is the standard way to say 'younger' for siblings.
- Mașina ta este mai mică decât a mea.
Your car is smaller than mine.
Word by Word: Car-the your is more small than of mine.
Here, 'mai mică' refers to physical size.
Common Mistakes
Using 'mai bun' (adjective) instead of 'mai bine' (adverb) for verbs.
El cântă mai bun decât mine.El cântă mai bine decât mine.Use 'mai bun' to describe a person or thing (noun), but 'mai bine' to describe how an action is performed (verb).
Forgetting adjective agreement when using 'mai'.
Fetele sunt mai bun.Fetele sunt mai bune.The adjective must still agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies, even in the comparative form.
Using 'mai' with Latinate forms like 'superior' or 'optim'.
Această metodă este mai superioară.Această metodă este superioară.Words like 'superior', 'inferior', and 'optim' are already comparative or superlative in meaning and do not take 'mai'.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Learn the regular mai + adjective comparison pattern and adjective agreement. These common words follow that pattern; distinguish an adjective describing a noun, such as mai bun, from an adverb describing an action, such as mai bine.
- mai + Adjective + decâtComparatives
These common comparatives use the same 'mai' marker and 'decât' comparison structure as regular adjectives.
Level 2 - Adjective-Shaped Adverbs
Understanding how adjectives function as adverbs is necessary to grasp the adverbial comparison patterns for 'bine' and 'rău'.
Level 2
Related Patterns
- Adjective Agreement
Essential for ensuring 'bun', 'rău', 'mare', and 'mic' match the noun they describe.
Level 1 - cel mai / cea mai / cei mai / cele maiRelative Superlatives
The next step in comparison, used to say 'the best', 'the oldest', etc.
Level 2 - Equality Comparisons
Used to compare these qualities as being equal (e.g., 'as good as').
Level 3
Words in This Pattern
Practice Comparison With bun / rău / mare / mic in Bubblegum
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