Adjectives

The Superlative Degree

You were originally told that adjectives and nouns never leave their declensions. For example, a 1st-2nd declension noun like bonus, bona, bonum will always take 1st declension form if the noun it modifies is feminine. It will always take 2nd declension form when the noun it modifies is masculine or neuter. Third declension nouns such as felix, felicis or brevis, brevis or celer, celeris, celere will always be formed in the third declension. HOWEVER, when an adjective takes its superlative degree, it is always in the first and second declensions, regardless of the declension of its positive form. Again: a superlative adjective in Latin is always declined in the 1st and 2nd declensions.

In English the superlative degree is translated as "the biggest" or "the biggest." Some Engish adjectives don't have aregular superlative form like "biggest" but rather simply add "most" such "the most fun (thing)" In Latin the superlative is signaled by these endings:

To form the superlative, add -issimus to the stem of the adjective and decline the new adjective just as you would "altus" or "bonus." There are two variations to this rule:

If the positive degree adjective ends in -er in its nominative masculine singular form, double the final -r and then add -imus, -a, -um. For example:

celer (swift) becomes celerrimus (very swift, swiftest)

If the adjective is facilis, difficilis, similis, dissimilis, gracilis or humilis, double the final -l and then add -imus, -a, -um. All other adjectives with a positive form ending in -lis will add the normal ending -issimus, -issima, or -issimum. For example:

dificilis (difficult) becomes difficillimus (very difficult, most difficult)

Ther is an exception for this adjective type:
utilis (useful) becomes utilissimus (very useful, most useful)

In summary, you can easily recognize a superlative adjective if:

• 1. You know that the root of the word is an adjective
• 2. Between the root and the terminus (ending) is -issim- or -illim- or -errim-
• 3. The word terminates in a 1st or 2nd declension ending (-us, -a, -um forms)

The superlative degrees of some common and important adjectives -- such as magnus, malus, and bonus -- take irregular forms. These are discussed in the Irregular Adjectives page linked in the menu at the top of the page.

^ Grammatica