Adjectives

Follow Eamus on Facebook:

Adjectives are invariable. They do not change their form depending on the gender or number of the noun. Examples:
- A hot potato.
- Some hot potatoes.
To emphasise or strengthen the meaning of an adjective use 'very' or 'really', 'quitey'.
- A very hot potato.
- Some really hot potatoes.
Adjectives can be in front of the noun or after a verb such as 'be'. Examples:
- A beautiful girl.
- That girl is beautiful.
Adjectives are used to modify the noun. Examples: The delicate, intricate, gold and silver statues in the Buddhist temple.

Describe feelings or qualities. Examples:
- He is a lonely man.
- They are honest people.
Give nationality. Examples:
- Pierre is French.
- Siegfried is German.
Speak more about a thing's characteristics. Examples:
- A wooden table.
- The knife is sharp.
Tell about age. Examples:
- He is a young man.
- She is an elderly/em> lady.
Speak about size and measurement. Examples:
- John is a tall man.
- This is a very long film.
Speak about colour. Examples:
- Paul wore a red shirt.
- The sunset was crimson and gold.

Adjectives of one syllable
- Comparative: adj + er
- Superlative: the + adj + est
Adjectives of two syllables ending in -y, -re, le, ow, and some others
- Comparative: adj + er
- Superlative: the + adj + est
Other Adjectives of two syllables, adjectives of three and more syllables
- Comparative: more + adj
- Superlative: the most + adj
- tall --> taller, the tallest
- noisy --> noisier, the noisiest
- happy --> happier, the happiest
- modern --> more modern, the most modern
- famous --> more famous, the most famous
- important --> more important, the most important
- expensive --> more expensive, the most expensive
Irregular adjectives
- good --> better - the best
- bad --> worse - the worst
- little --> less (=meno) - the least
- much --> more - the most
- far --> farther/further - the farthest/the furthest

Adjectives ending in 'y' such as happy, pretty, busy, sunny, lucky, replace the y with -i, and -i in the comparative and superlative forms.
Some two-syllable adjectives may have both kinds of comparative and superlative forms. The most frequent are: clever, common, gentle, humble, hollow, narrow, polite, quiet, simple, stupid, subtle. (Examples: clever --> cleverer/more clever - cleverest/(the) most clever; common --> commoner/more common - commonest/(the) most common)
late has 2 forms with different meanings: later (= più tardi), latter (= il secondo tra 2), latest (= il più recente), last (= l'ultimo rimasto)
old has 2 forms: older(= più vecchio), elder (= maggiore tra 2 fratelli o sorelle), the oldest(= il più vecchio), the eldest (= maggiore tra 3 o più fratelli e sorelle)
far has 2 forms: further / farther, and furthest / farthest, le forme in "-u" hanno anche il significato di "ulteriore" nel tempo
The comparative is followed by "than" that introduces the second term in the comparison
The superlative is followed by "of" or "in" (if it is a place or time)

A cat is fast, a tiger is faster but a cheetah is the fastest
A car is heavy, a truck is heavier, but a train is the heaviest
A park bench is comfortable, a restaurant chair is more comfortable, but a sofa is the most comfortable

AS + Comparative +AS, to compare people, places, events or things, when there is no difference.
Not as...as (OR Not so...as) when there is a difference

corresponding to the Italian "più": MORE + noun + than
corresponding to the Italian "il più": THE MOST + noun + of/in
corresponding to the Italian "meno": LESS (singular, with an uncountable noun) + THAN, FEWER (plural, with a countable noun) + THAN.
corresponding to the Italian "il meno": THE LEAST (singular, with an uncountable noun) + of/in, THE FEWEST (plural, with a countable noun) + of/in
Corresponding to the Italian tanto... quanto (and similar): AS MUCH + uncountable noun + AS.
Corresponding to the Italian tanti... quanti (and similar): AS MANY + countable noun + AS.