The comparative expresses that something has more of a certain quality than something else. In this article, we will focus on the Finnish comparative of adjectives.

In addition to this, we also have an article about:

• comparatives in general
• the superlative of adjectives
• the comparative and superlative of adverbs

1. The Use of the Finnish Comparative of Adjectives

1.1. Not all adjectives have a comparative form

Some adjectives just can’t have a comparative and/or a superlative. You can use your own language as a reasoning ground: something can be free of charge, but can something else be more free? Someone can be unemployed, but is there a way for someone else to be more unemployed?

Adjectives that don’t have a comparative form usually express a quality that someone either has or doesn’t have. There is no grey area between the two. Take the adjective kuollut (dead) for example. A person can’t be a little dead, so they can’t be more dead or the most dead either (nobody bring up zombies or vampires here!).

1.2. Hän on kauniimpi kuin minä

The most common way to compare the property of two things is by using the word kuin. In spoken language, you will more often hear kun than kuin.

1.3. Hän on minua kauniimpi

You can also replace the “kuin” comparison with the partitive case. The phrase “Hän on nuorempi kuin minä” means the exact same as “Hän on minua nuorempi“. The partitive will be placed in front of the comparative adjective. This doesn’t change the meaning in any way. Read more about this type of phrase in this article.

1.4. Kumpi on kauniimpi?

The word kumpi is used when you’re asking which one of two things is comparatively stronger.

The word kumpi is not only used with the comparative of adjectives. It’s used with any type of comparative question or statement. For example, when you’re asking which one of the two someone likes better, the verb tykätä requires the mistä-case, so you’ll ask ”kummasta tykkäät enemmän?”. As such, kumpi can be inflected into all the cases.

2. The Formation of the Finnish Comparative of Adjectives

The marker of the comparative can be -mpi, -mpa- and -mma-.

2.1. Adjectives ending in -o/-ö/-u/-y

2.2. Short adjectives ending in -a/-ä

Words of two syllables that end in -a/-ä will have their final -a/-ä replaced by an -e- when you add the comparative’s marker. The adjective kiva is the only one where some variation is possible: in addition to the regular rule-following kivempi-form, the alternative kivampi is also accepted. This is most likely due to the fact that the form kivempi seems too close to the noun kivi (stone).

Remember consonant gradation! These words are weak.

2.3. Long adjectives ending in -a/-ä

Long words don’t undergo the same change as short words: they retain their final vowel before the comparative’s marker.

2.4. Adjectives ending in -i

2.4.1. New adjectives ending in -i

New words are often loanwords. Usually they’re recognisable because they resemble words in other languages. For these words, the comparative will consist of the adjective’s basic form with the comparative’s marker –mpi added to it.

2.4.2. Old adjectives ending in -i

For old adjectives ending in –i (which is a really small group), you will replace the final –i with –e-mpi.

2.5. Adjectives ending in a consonant

There are many groups of adjectives that end in a consonant.

2.6. Adjectives ending in -e

Another small group: add –e- and then –mpi.

2.7. Adjectives ending in -nen

For these words, you should remove the –nen and add –sempi. From a morphological point of view, the -se- is actually part of the stem of the word (e.g. vihaise-, suomalaise-), and you’re adding –mpi to that stem.

2.8. Exceptions

The following words are important because they inflect differently than you might expect.

3. Consonant Gradation in the Comparative

The Finnish comparative of adjectives of wordtype A words is always weak. The comparative of wordtype B is always strong.

I have a separate article on wordtype A.

I have a separate article on wordtype B.

4. Putting Comparative Forms in the Cases

In addition to having a nominative form, the comparative forms of adjectives can also be inflected in all the different cases – both in the singular and the plural. I made a page with examples for you to check out.

That’s all for now about the Finnish comparative of adjectives!

Let me know if there is more you’d like to learn about it!

Related posts:

Finnish Superlative of Adjectives – Superlatiivi Negative Emotions – Kielteiset Tunteet Finnish Comparative and Superlative of Adverbs Finnish Comparative Forms – Vertailuasteet