What can be compared
A comparative orders two values on a scale such as size, speed, age, intensity, or quality.
- Qualitative adjectives are the core source. Relative/material adjectives normally resist comparison unless context creates a qualitative interpretation.
- Control point: Morphological possibility and contextual naturalness differ. Ask what measurable or interpreted scale the sentence establishes.
3.15 · What can be compared · table 1
| Base meaning | Comparative | Judgment |
|---|
| высо́кий | вы́ше | natural height scale |
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| интере́сный | интере́снее | natural evaluation scale |
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| ру́сский | ?бо́лее ру́сский | possible only in coerced cultural/style reading |
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| дере́вянный | ?бо́лее дере́вянный | not literal material; possible resemblance reading |
|---|
| круглый | кругле́е | degree of roundness despite geometric ideal |
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Productive -ее and -ей
Many adjectives form an invariant simple comparative by replacing the long ending with -ее; -ей is a shorter variant common in speech and verse.
- Stress and stem shape are lexical. The form does not agree in gender, number, or case.
- Control point: Use -ее as the safest neutral learner form. Recognise -ей and calibrate it to speech, rhythm, and editorial style.
3.15 · Productive -ее and -ей · table 1
| Base | Neutral comparative | Shorter variant |
|---|
| бы́стрый | быстре́е | быстре́й |
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| си́льный | сильне́е | сильне́й |
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| интере́сный | интере́снее | интере́сней |
|---|
| краси́вый | краси́вее | краси́вей |
|---|
| совреме́нный | совреме́ннее | совреме́нней |
|---|
Comparatives in -е and consonant alternation
A productive historical pattern creates -е forms with changes at the end of the stem.
- The alternations must be learned by family and lexeme; do not attach -ее to every adjective mechanically.
- Stem checkpoint: Store base and comparative together: доро́гой — доро́же. The comparative is a lexical diagnostic, not merely an ending exercise.
- Retrieval checkpoint: Pause and reconstruct the diagnostic forms from the last three lessons without looking, then check what you missed.
3.15 · Comparatives in -е and consonant alternation · table 1
| Base | Comparative | Stem change |
|---|
| дорого́й | доро́же | г → ж |
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| стро́гий | стро́же | г → ж |
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| ти́хий | ти́ше | х → ш |
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| круто́й | кру́че | т → ч |
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| молодо́й | моло́же | д → ж |
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| высо́кий | вы́ше | stem reduction/alternation |
|---|
-ше forms and suppletion
Several high-frequency comparatives use -ше or a different lexical stem.
- These forms are central vocabulary and often develop additional meanings, so learn them in contrasting sentences.
- Control point: Бо́льше and ме́ньше can compare size or quantity. Syntax and the measured scale disambiguate.
3.15 · -ше forms and suppletion · table 1
| Base | Comparative | Note |
|---|
| ста́рый | ста́рше | older/senior |
|---|
| то́нкий | то́ньше | thinner |
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| да́лёкий | да́льше | farther/further |
|---|
| хоро́ший | лу́чше | suppletive |
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| плохо́й | ху́же | suppletive |
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| большо́й | бо́льше | larger/more |
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| ма́ленький | ме́ньше | smaller/less |
|---|
Invariant predicate and adverb uses
A simple comparative has one form for every gender, number, and case context.
- It can predicate a comparison of a noun or modify an event in an adverb-like function. The form itself does not reveal which role it has.
- Control point: Do not add agreement endings: *ба́шня вы́шая and *дома́ вы́шие are not simple comparatives.
3.15 · Invariant predicate and adverb uses · table 1
| Use | Example | Target of comparison |
|---|
| predicate masc. | Дом вы́ше. | дом |
|---|
| predicate fem. | Ба́шня вы́ше. | ба́шня |
|---|
| predicate plural | Дома́ вы́ше. | дома́ |
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| event modifier | Он говори́т ти́ше. | manner of speaking |
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| measure | Нам ну́жно бо́льше вре́мени. | quantity |
|---|
The standard with чем
Чем introduces an explicit comparison clause or phrase and does not itself force one universal case.
- The compared element normally has the case required by its role in the understood parallel structure. Keep the two sides syntactically parallel to avoid ambiguity.
- Control point: Do not teach 'чем + nominative' as an absolute. Preserve or state the syntactic role of the standard.
- Retrieval checkpoint: Pause and reconstruct the diagnostic forms from the last three lessons without looking, then check what you missed.
3.15 · The standard with чем · table 1
| Sentence | Standard | Parallel logic |
|---|
| Москва́ бо́льше, чем Каза́нь. | Каза́нь nom. | two subjects compared |
|---|
| Я люблю́ А́нну бо́льше, чем Мари́я. | Мари́я nom. | Maria loves Anna less |
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| Я люблю́ А́нну бо́льше, чем Мари́ю. | Мари́ю acc. | I love Anna more than Maria |
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| Я люблю́ Москву́ бо́льше, чем Каза́нь. | formally ambiguous | rewrite to expose the intended roles |
|---|
The genitive standard
A simple comparative can take a compact genitive standard without чем.
- This construction is especially natural with direct comparisons of people, places, measures, and entities; it can be more formal or compact than a чем clause.
- Control point: The genitive marks the standard, not possession. Avoid it where the relationship becomes unclear or the comparative does not license that compact frame.
3.15 · The genitive standard · table 1
| With чем | With genitive | Meaning |
|---|
| Москва́ бо́льше, чем Каза́нь. | Москва́ бо́льше Каза́ни. | Moscow is larger |
|---|
| Анто́н ста́рше, чем Ива́н. | Анто́н ста́рше Ива́на. | Anton is older |
|---|
| Э́та ба́шня вы́ше, чем дом. | Э́та ба́шня вы́ше до́ма. | tower exceeds house |
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| Кни́га интере́снее, чем фильм. | Кни́га интере́снее фи́льма. | book is more interesting |
|---|
Compound comparatives with более and менее
Более/менее stays invariant; the following long adjective remains fully agreeing and declines normally.
- This is the productive attributive comparative and often suits formal, technical, or precise prose.
- Control point: Do not combine two comparative markers: *бо́лее лу́чший or *бо́лее интере́снее. Use лу́чше or бо́лее интере́сный.
3.15 · Compound comparatives with более and менее · table 1
| Profile | Phrase | Agreement location |
|---|
| nom. masc. | бо́лее интере́сный ме́тод | интере́сный |
|---|
| nom. fem. | ме́нее тру́дная зада́ча | тру́дная |
|---|
| gen. singular | без бо́лее то́чного отве́та | то́чного |
|---|
| prep. singular | в бо́лее но́вой кни́ге | но́вой |
|---|
| instr. plural | с бо́лее опы́тными колле́гами | опы́тными |
|---|
По- comparatives, usage, and spelling
Productive по- forms such as побо́льше and поти́ше are written solid and often mean 'somewhat/more' or soften a request.
- Simple comparatives can also occur in limited attributive or selection constructions, but the compound long form is the safest general attributive strategy.
- Control point: Write по- solid with these comparatives: побо́льше, поти́ше. Do not confuse them with по + dative noun phrases.
- Retrieval checkpoint: Pause and reconstruct the diagnostic forms from the last three lessons without looking, then check what you missed.
3.15 · По- comparatives, usage, and spelling · table 1
| Form | Example | Effect |
|---|
| побо́льше | Дайте ча́шку побо́льше. | a somewhat/larger cup |
|---|
| поме́ньше | Говори́те поме́ньше. | less |
|---|
| поти́ше | Говори́те поти́ше. | softer request |
|---|
| подоро́же | Мы вы́брали вариа́нт подоро́же. | a somewhat pricier option |
|---|
| compound attribute | бо́лее дорого́й вариа́нт | fully agreeing neutral/formal |
|---|
Comparative assessment
Choose a scalar meaning, form the comparative, and express the standard without corrupting agreement.