Comparisons of Adjectives

The Comparison of Adjectives

First Level Comparison : Similes

There are two constructions for forming similes, both use the word CHO meaning SO :

1. **cho** in combination with the preposition ri. The pattern is: **cho** + adjective + ri + dative noun :
Tha am falt aige cho dubh ri fitheach - His hair is as black as a raven
Tha mi cho sgìth ri cù - I'm as tired as a dog

Or with prepositional pronoun. The pattern is: **cho** + adjective + **prepositional pronoun of ri** :
Chan eil Calum cho sean rium - Calum is not as old as me
Chan eil Màiri cho spìocach riut - Màiri is not as mean as you

2. **cho** in combination with the relative clause. The pattern is: **cho** + adjective + **'s a** + relative clause :
Tha e cho mì-mhodhail 's a bha e a-riamh - He's as rude as he ever was
Falbhaidh sinn cho luath 's a bhios tu deiseil - We will leave as soon as you are ready
Gheibh thu a-staigh cho fad 's a tha do bhrògan glan † - You will get in as long as your shoes are clean

† fad is used here in preference to fada

An important exception to using cho is when saying as much as or as many as or so many. For these you need to use either an uiread de or na h-uiread de.

Following pattern to 1 above :
Cha robh na h-uiread de dhaoine ann an-diugh - There weren't as many people there today

Following pattern 2 above :
Cha robh na h-uiread de dhaoine ann 's a shaoil mi - There weren't as many people there as I thought
Tha na h-uiread de dh'airgead aige 's a tha agamsa - He has as much money as I do (I have)
Tha na h-uiread de chiall aig cù 's a tha aigesan - A dog has as much sense as him (he has)

Second Level Comparison : Comparatives and Superlatives

1. Regular Formation

The form for both the comparative and the superlative is the same in Gàidhlig. The easiest way to find this for regular adjectives is to find the feminine genitive singular adjective (see ). Polysyllabic adjectives also add the terminal -e, although in spoken Gàidhlig this is often elided. Remember a number of important adjectives will undergo internal vowel modifications :
Feminine Genitive Singular Adjective	Second Level Comparison
na beinne àirde - of the high mountain	àirde
na beinne cudromaich - of the important mountain	cudromaiche
na beinne fiadhaich - of the wild mountain	fiadhaiche
na dreasa deirge - of the red dress	deirge
na dreasa guirme - of the blue dress	guirme

An important group are the polysyllabic adjectives where :
the final syllable has only the vowel i after slenderisation or
the final syllable ends in il after slenderisation or
with final syllable **-ainn**
This group shows a reduction or loss of the final vowel group before a terminal -e is added :
Feminine Genitive Singular Adjective	Second Level Comparison
na dreasa bòidhich - of the beautiful dress	bòidhche
na h-aibhne domhainn - of the deep river	doimhne
na mnà dìlis - of the loyal woman	dìlse
na mnà uasail - of the noble woman	uaisle

Using the Second Level Comparison to Form Comparatives

For the comparative use the verb **To Be**, adding :
**nas** for the present and future tenses
**na bu** (**na b'** before vowels and lenited f) for the past and conditional tenses

A useful word to know at this point is na meaning **than** :
Tha Màiri nas àirde na Calum - Màiri is taller than Calum
Tha Màiri nas àirde na mise † - Màiri is taller than me
Tha Màiri a-nis nas bòidhche na bha i a-riamh - Màiri is now more beautiful than she ever was
Tha an cù seo nas fhiadhaiche na am fear eile ‡- This dog is wilder than the other one
Bha an taigh sin na bu bhòidhche na am fear seo § - That house was more beautiful than this one
Bha Màiri na bu toilichte na mise § - Màiri was happier than me

† Pronouns are emphatic following na
‡ Adjectives beginning with f are always lenited nas
§ Adjectives are lenited after na bu, although adjectives beginning with d and t resist lenition

Literally what is being said is :
Tha an cù seo nas fhiadhaiche na am fear eile - This dog is the thing that is wilder than the other one
Bha an taigh sin na bu bhòidhche na am fear seo - That house was the thing that was more beautiful than this one

It is not uncommon in spoken Gàidhlig to hear and use **nas** instead of na bu with the meaning coming from the tense of the main verb :
Bha an taigh sin nas bòidhche na am fear seo - That room was more beautiful than this one

The comparative can be used adverbially in the same way as a common adjective :
A bheil thu nas toilichte a-nis? - Are you happier now?
Tha thu a' coimhead nas toilichte - You are looking happier
Bha iad a' faireachdainn na bu toilichte - They were feeling happier

Using the Second Level Comparison to Form Superlatives

For the superlative use the Assertive Verb, adding :
as for the present tense
**a bu** (**a b'** before vowels and lenited f) for the past/conditional tense
Care is needed here as the Assertive verb can convey the comparative with the meaning derived from the context :
'S mise as òige anns a' chlas - I am the youngest in the class
Bu mhise a b' òige anns a' chlas - I was the youngest in the class
'S mise as òige den dithis † - I am the younger of the two

† The Assertive Verb has only served here to emphasise and the meaning is obviously comparative. Generally, however, you will use it in a superlative manner :
Is mise as glice anns a' chlas - I am the wisest in the class
B' e Sìm a bu ghlice § - Simon was the wisest
An e Calum a b' àirde ? ‡ - Was Calum the tallest?
Nach mise a bu toilichte? - Is it not I who was happiest?

§ Adjectives are lenited after a bu, although adjectives beginning with d and t resist lenition
‡ As stated in unless stress is required then usually only the present tense of the Assertive Verb need be used

You might recognise the forms as and **a bu** as relative forms of the Assertive Verb. So what is literally being said is :
'S mise as òige anns a' chlas - It is I who is the younger/youngest in the class
Bu mhise a b' òige anns a' chlas - It was I who was the younger/youngest in the class

General Rules of Usage

If you are unsure which form to use then a good rule of thumb when describing a noun directly (attributely) is :
An Indefinte Noun Uses Nas / Na Bu	A Definite and Proper Noun Uses As / A Bu
duine nas àirde / duine na b' àirde	an duine as àirde / an duine a b' àirde
cù nas òige / cù na b' òige	an cù as òige / an cù a b' òige
baile nas bòidhche / baile na bu bhòidhche	am baile as bòidhche / am baile a bu bhòidhche


'S e duine nas àirde a tha sinn ag iarraidh - We want a taller man. lit It's a taller man that we want
'S e an duine as àirde a tha sinn ag iarraidh - We want the tallest man. lit It's the tallest man that we want
'S e Dìleas an cù as òige ‡ - Dìleas is the youngest dog
'S e cù nas òige a tha dhìth orm - I want a younger dog. lit. It' s a younger dog that I want
'S e Glaschu am baile as bòidhche ‡ - Glasgow is the most beautiful town

‡ You could drop the noun and simply have :
'S e Dìleas as òige ‡ - Dìleas is the youngest
'S e Glaschu as bòidhche - Glasgow is the most beautiful

2. Irregular Formation

There are a number of common irregular Second Level Comparisons :
Basic Form	Second Level Comparison
beag - small	lugha
cumhang - narrow	cuinge
dona, olc - bad	miosa
duilich - difficult, sorry	duilghe
fada - long	fhaide
furasta - easy	fhasa
goirid - short	giorra
làidir - strong	treasa & regular làidire
leathan - broad	leatha
math - good	fheàrr
mòr - big	motha, mò
reamhar - fat	reamhra
tana - thin, narrow	taine
teth - hot	teotha

Some Common Idioms Using the Second Level Comparison

When directly describing an action after the Assertive Verb :
'S e Calum am fear as àirde a leumas -	Calum jumps the highest lit. Calum is the one who is the highest that jumps
'S tusa a bu mhaille (mall=slow) a bhruidhinn -	You spoke the slowest lit. It's you who was the slowest that spoke
'S ann leamsa a tha an càr a bu luaithe a ruith -	I own the car that ran the fastest lit. I own the car which was fastest that ran

Using :
**mar** + second level comparative + relative clause, **'s ann** + second level comparative + relative clause :
Mar as fhaide a choisich e, 's ann as sgìthe a dh'fhàs e - The further he walked the more tired he became
Mar as àirde a streapas tu, 's ann as taine a bhios an t-adhar - The higher you climb, the thinner the air will be

NEW WORDS

**Adjectives**
cudromach - important	cumhang - narrow, thin
furasta - easy	leathan - broad, wide
rag - stiff	ruadh - red, auburn
sgiobalta - neat, tidy	spìocach - mean, miserly
tana - thin	tapaidh - smart, clever, robust
uasal - noble

**Nouns**
cidsin (m) - kitchen	fitheach (m) - raven
flùr (m) - flower	gnìomh (m) - act, deed
iarann (m) - iron	sràbh (m) - straw
togalach (m) - building
Gàidhealtachd (f) - Gàidhlig speaking area	fiacail (f) - tooth
fiodh (f) - wood, timber	gualainn (f) - shoulder
troigh (f) - foot	stàilinn (f) - steel

**Verbs**
tagh, taghadh - choose, elect

**EXERCISE 1 Translate into English**
1.Tha e cho mòr ri each	2.Chan eil e cho glic rithe
3.Tha an togalach sin cho àrd ri beinn	4.Tha i cho bòidheach 's a bha i a-riamh
5.'S urrainn dha ruith nas luaithe na thusa	6.Is leamsa a' chathair as cofhartaile anns an rùm
7.B' e sin an là a b' fhliche a chunnaic mi a-riamh	8.'S i Màiri an tè as tapaidhe anns an sgoil
9.Tha an seòmar agamsa nas sgiobalta na an seòmar agadsa	10.Tha stàilinn nas cruaidhe na iarann
11.'S e an cidsin an rùm as glaine anns an taigh agam	12.Bha na fiaclan aice cho geal ris an t-sneachd
13.'S e Calum as miosa de na bràithrean	14.Tha an abhainn nas cuinge faisg air an drochaid
15.Thagh mi an sràbh as giorra	16.Cò am fear as treasa dhiubh?
17.Is ise as lugha den teaghlach ach an neach as sine	18.'S ann aigesan a tha na troighean as motha a chunnaic mi a-riamh
19.Tha mo thaigh-sa nas motha na do thaigh-sa	20.Bha a' cheist sin na b' fhasa na an tè eile

**EXERCISE 2 Translate into Gàidhlig**
1.She is as quiet as a mouse	2.Her hair is as black as coal
3.He is the most industrious person that I know	4.The room was a lot warmer when we had a coal fire
5.Where will I find the most beautiful girl in the world?	6.His hair was as white as snow
7.It's in the highlands that you'll find the tallest tree	8.I was much thinner when I was a young boy
9.His hair is much more auburn than his younger sister	10.It's heather that has the most fragrant flower
11.The room was hotter with a coal fire	12.He has much broader shoulders than his brother
13.They have the smallest garden that I ever saw	14.The glen road was longer than I remembered
15.He committed (did) the most evil act	16.The main road was wider than this one
17.Steel is stronger than wood	18.I was much thinner when I was young
19.Edinburgh is the busiest city in Scotland	20.Calum ran the mountain the fastest
21.The further we swam the colder the sea became	22.The older she grew the stiffer she was

**ANSWERS - EXERCISE 1**
1.He is as big as a horse	2.He isn't as prudent as her
3.That building is as high as a mountain	4.She is as beautiful as she ever was
5.He can run faster than you	6.I possess the most comfortable chair in the room
7.That was the wettest day I ever saw	8.Màiri's the smartest one in the school
9.My room is tidier than your room	10.Steel is harder than iron
11.The kitchen is the cleanest room in my house	12.Her teeth were as white as the snow
13.Calum is the worst of the brothers	14.The river is narrower near the bridge
15.I chose the shortest straw	16.Who's the strongest (man) of them?
17.She's the smallest of the family but the oldest	18.He has the biggest feet I ever saw
19.My house is larger than your house	20.That question was easier than the other one

**ANSWERS - EXERCISE 2**
1.Tha i cho sàmhach ri luch	2.Tha am falt aice cho dubh ri gual
3.'S esan an duine as deanadaiche as aithne dhomh	4.Bha an seòmar fada (mòran) na bu bhlàithe nuair a bha teine guail againn
5.Càit am faigh mi a' chaileag as bòidhche anns an t-saoghal?	6.Bha am falt aige cho geal ris an t-sneachd
7.'S ann air a' Ghàidhealtachd a gheibh sibh a' chraobh as àirde	8.Bha mi mòran na bu chaoile nuair a bha mi nam bhalach òg
9.Tha am falt aige mòran nas ruaidhe na falt a pheathar as òige	10a.'S ann aig an fhraoch a tha am flùr as cùbhraidhe 10b.'S e flùr an fhraoich as cùbhraidhe
11.Bha an rùm na bu teotha le teine guail	12a.Bha a ghuailnean fada na bu leatha na a bhràthair 12b.Bha na guailnean aige fada na bu leatha na a bhràthair
13.'S ann aca a tha an gàrradh as lugha a chunnaic mi a-riamh	14.Tha rathad a' ghlinn nas fhaide na chuimhnich mi
15.Rinn e an gnìomh a bu mhiosa	16.Bha a' phrìomh rathad na bu leatha na am fear seo
17.Tha stàilinn nas treasa na fiodh	18.Bha mi fada na bu taine nuair a bha mi òg
19.'S e Dùn Èideann am prìomh bhaile as trainge ann an Albainn	20.'S e Calum as luaithe a ruith a' bheinn
21.Mar as fhaide a shnàmh sinn, 's ann as fhuaire a dh'fhàs a' mhuir	22.Mar as sine a dh'fhàs i, 's ann as raige a bha i

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