Comparatives and superlatives
Compare two things and identify the biggest, cheapest, or best one.
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
| Degree | Armenian | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| positive | մեծ | mets | big |
| comparative | ավելի մեծ | aveli mets | bigger / more big |
| superlative | ամենամեծ | amenamets | biggest |
| positive | լավ | lav | good |
| comparative | ավելի լավ | aveli lav | better |
| superlative | ամենալավ | amenalav | best |
Two ways to say “than”
| Pattern | Armenian | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| separate comparison word | Սա ավելի մեծ է, քան դա։ | Sa aveli mets e, k’an da. | This is bigger than that. |
| ablative comparison | Նա 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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Eight questions are drawn from this lesson and reshuffled every time.
Questions switch between recognition and recall, so you practise both meaning and the Armenian form.