All lessons Lesson 28 of 30
Tenses and connections

Comparatives and superlatives

Compare two things and identify the biggest, cheapest, or best one.

9 minute lesson

Use a separate word for “more”

Place ավելի (aveli) before an adjective to form a comparative. Use քան (k’an) to introduce the standard of comparison. A common superlative is formed by adding ամենա- (amena-) to the adjective.

Comparison patterns

DegreeArmenianTransliterationEnglish
positiveմեծmetsbig
comparativeավելի մեծaveli metsbigger / more big
superlativeամենամեծamenametsbiggest
positiveլավlavgood
comparativeավելի լավaveli lavbetter
superlativeամենալավamenalavbest

Two ways to say “than”

PatternArmenianTransliterationEnglish
separate comparison wordՍա ավելի մեծ է, քան դա։Sa aveli mets e, k’an da.This is bigger than that.
ablative comparisonՆա ինձնից բարձր է։Na indznits’ bardzr e.He / she is taller than me.

Examples

Այս տունն ավելի մեծ է։Ays tunn aveli mets e.This house is bigger.
Սա ավելի էժան է, քան դա։Sa aveli ezhan e, k’an da.This is cheaper than that.Pronunciation: zh is the sound in “vision”; k’ is aspirated.
Երևանը Հայաստանի ամենամեծ քաղաքն է։Yerevanə Hayastani amenamets kaghak’n e.Yerevan is Armenia’s largest city.Pronunciation: ə is “uh”; gh is voiced and throaty; k’ is aspirated.

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