Rengdêr · Compare qualities
Use -tir, ji and superlative descriptions.
By the end of this lessonBuild comparative sentences and recognize -tirîn and herî constructions.
The idea
Add -tir for comparison: germ → germtir, biçûk → biçûktir, girîng → girîngtir. Use ji before the comparison standard: Ev ode ji wê odeyê germtir e. A pronoun after ji is oblique: Ez ji te mezintir im. Some forms need care: baş → çêtir (better), pir → bêtir (more), xurt → xurtir (stronger, one t). Mezintir and meztir both occur; these exercises use mezintir.
See it in a sentence
A -tirîn superlative comes before its noun: mezintirîn xanî (the biggest house). Herî can precede an adjective after ezafe: kitêba herî girîng. Its force depends on context and may be emphatic (“especially important”). Comparatives can also have a superlative reading in context. This lesson practices the explicit patterns shown, not a word-for-word replacement of every English “most”.
Build it step by step
- Build the comparative form and check irregular spelling.
- Add ji and an oblique complement, then choose the subject’s copula.
- For the explicit superlative pattern here, place -tirîn before the noun; use herî inside the shown ezafe phrase.
| Quality | Comparative | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| germ | germtir | warmer |
| biçûk | biçûktir | smaller |
| mezin | mezintir / meztir | bigger / older |
| baş | çêtir | better |
| pir | bêtir | more |
| xurt | xurtir | stronger |
Take a sentence apart
I: subject
than you: oblique pronoun
am older: comparative + copula
English uses either -er or more; Kurmanji commonly uses -tir and ji. Superlative word order depends on the construction.
A common trap
Incorrect: Ez ji tu mezintir im.
Correct: Ez ji te mezintir im.
The pronoun after ji must be oblique.
Grammar reference: Thackston, § 10 · Comparative and superlative adjectives