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melior, optimus: irregular comparison, plūs, and "by how much"

good–better–best in Latin, plūs, and the ablative of the measure of difference.

LatinIntermediate Latin · ComparisonAbout 3 min: 1 reading, 2 practiceUpdated

After this lesson you can
  • Learn the irregular comparisons of bonus, magnus, malus, multus and parvus
  • Decline plūs
  • Use the ablative for "by how much" (multō, paulō)
Latin Level 2: verbs and the other declensions: lesson 32 of 35
  1. Intermediate Latin · Verbs: the present system
  2. sum: I am, I was, I shall be 3 min
  3. The present of amō and moneō 4 min
  4. The imperfect: was doing 4 min
  5. The future: will do 3 min
  6. The dative with adjectives 3 min
  7. The present of regō and audiō 4 min
  8. The imperfect of regō and audiō, and verbs that take the dative 3 min
  9. The future of regō and audiō 3 min
  10. capiō, and giving orders 3 min
  11. Intermediate Latin · The passive voice
  12. The passive: being done to 3 min
  13. The passive of regō, audiō and capiō; passive infinitives 3 min
  14. Synopses, and the ablative of "from" 3 min
  15. Intermediate Latin · The perfect tenses
  16. fuī, fueram, fuerō: the perfect tenses of sum 3 min
  17. The perfect active: did, have done 5 min
  18. Had done, will have done: pluperfect and future perfect active 3 min
  19. amātus sum: the perfect passive 4 min
  20. Principal parts, prepositions, and yes-or-no questions 5 min
  21. possum, "I can", and the infinitive 3 min
  22. Intermediate Latin · Pronouns
  23. quī, quae, quod: who, which, that 4 min
  24. Intermediate Latin · The third declension
  25. rēx, rēgis: the third declension 4 min
  26. hostis, urbs, mare: i-stems 4 min
  27. vīs and iter; gender in the third declension 4 min
  28. omnis, ācer, pār: third-declension adjectives 3 min
  29. Intermediate Latin · The fourth and fifth declensions
  30. manus, cornū: the fourth declension 3 min
  31. Rōmae, domī, Athēnīs: place and the locative 4 min
  32. diēs, rēs: the fifth declension and the ablative of time 3 min
  33. Intermediate Latin · Pronouns
  34. ego, tū, sē: personal and reflexive pronouns 4 min
  35. ipse, "himself", and īdem, "the same" 3 min
  36. hic, iste, ille: this and that 4 min
  37. aliquis, quīdam, quisque: someone, a certain, each 3 min
  38. Intermediate Latin · Comparison
  39. clārior, clārissimus: comparing adjectives 4 min
  40. melior, optimus: irregular comparison, plūs, and "by how much" 3 min
  41. clārē, fortiter: adverbs and their comparison 4 min
  42. Intermediate Latin · Numerals
  43. ūnus, duo, trēs: numerals, "of" the whole, and "for how long" 5 min
  44. Intermediate Latin · Deponent verbs
  45. hortor, sequor: deponent verbs 3 min

Try first

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Pairs with D'Ooge, Latin for Beginners (Ginn, 1909), Lessons LV–LVI, §§ 311–317

What it is

Like English good, better, best, some common adjectives are irregular:

PositiveComparative, superlative
bonus, goodmelior, optimus
malus, badpeior, pessimus
magnus, greatmaior, maximus
parvus, smallminor, minimus
multus, muchplūs, plūrimus
multī, manyplūrēs, plūrimī

The neuter comparatives are melius, peius, maius, minus; the plural of plūs is plūrēs, plūra.

Some have no positive at all: prior, prīmus (former, first); propior, proximus (nearer, next); ulterior, ultimus (further, furthest). And superior has two superlatives: suprēmus and summus (highest).

plūs (more): in the singular it is a neuter noun, plūs, plūris, plūs, plūre, used with a genitive (plūs pecūniae, more money). In the plural it is an adjective: plūrēs, plūra; plūrium; plūribus.

By how much. The difference in a comparison goes in the ablative:

  • multō maior → much bigger (bigger by much)
  • paulō minor → a little smaller
  • Galba est altior capite quam Sextus. → Galba is a head taller than Sextus.

Quick check

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  1. "the best soldier"

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    optimus mīles. bonus, melior, optimus.

Why it matters

These are some of the commonest words in Latin, and they live on in English: optimum, pessimist, major, minor, maximum, minimum, plural. The words often explain themselves once you know the pattern.

Worked example

  • Rōma est maior quam Corinthus. → Rome is bigger than Corinth.
  • Hoc iter est multō brevius. → This route is much shorter.
  • Plūrēs mīlitēs vēnērunt. → More soldiers came.

Common mistake

Forming these regularly: wrong: magnior, wrong: bonior. They must be learned: maior, melior. Also, plūs in the singular is a noun: wrong: plūs mīlitēs for "more soldiers" is wrong; use the plural adjective plūrēs mīlitēs.

Key terms

melior, optimus
better, best
peior, pessimus
worse, worst
maior, maximus
greater, greatest
minor, minimus
smaller, smallest
plūs, plūris
more
multō
by much, much
paulō
by a little, a little

Practise the key terms

Tap a card to turn it over. 7 cards.

FrontBack
melior, optimusbetter, best
peior, pessimusworse, worst
maior, maximusgreater, greatest
minor, minimussmaller, smallest
plūs, plūrismore
multōby much, much
paulōby a little, a little

Practice

Recognition drill

Pick the right answer, as fast as you can.

All pairs

Tap a card to turn it over. 5 cards.

FrontBack
bonusmelior
maluspeior
magnusmaior
parvusminor
multīplūrēs

Quick quiz

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  1. "much braver"

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    multō fortior. Ablative of the measure of difference.

  2. "more towns"

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    plūra oppida. Plural adjective, neuter: plūra.

  3. Superlative of magnus

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    maximus. magnus, maior, maximus.

Practise speaking

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You are a patient Latin tutor. Use the classical pronunciation only, never the Church one: c is always k, g is always hard, v sounds like w, ae like the ai in aisle, and long vowels are held longer. Speak slowly. Use only these Latin words: melior, optimus, peior, pessimus, maior, maius, maximus, minor, minimus, plūrēs, plūra, multō, paulō, quam, oppidum, mīles, Rōma, iter, est. Say English phrases and sentences like 'the best soldier', 'a much bigger town', 'more soldiers' or 'Rome is bigger than the town', and I will say them in Latin. Do 10. After each answer, tell me what kind of mistake I made, if any, and let me try again, then tell me one thing to improve. Keep every reply under 2 sentences. If I need a name or a town, I will make one up. Speak English except for the Latin itself.

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Good to know. AI feedback on pronunciation is hit and miss, so check yourself against native recordings. This course teaches the classical pronunciation (see lesson 1); AI voices may mix it with the Church (Italian-style) one, so ask for classical and check against lesson 1. Don't share personal details: use a made-up name and town.

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In short

  • bonus–melior–optimus; malus–peior–pessimus; magnus–maior–maximus; parvus–minor–minimus; multus–plūs–plūrimus.
  • plūs: singular noun (+ genitive); plural adjective plūrēs, plūra.
  • By how much: ablative (multō, paulō).

Mastery check

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Check yourself

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  1. Give the superlative of parvus.

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    minimus.

  2. Translate Hic puer est paulō maior.

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    This boy is a little bigger.

  3. What case is multō in multō maior, and why?

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    Ablative: the measure of difference.

Further reading

  • D'Ooge, Latin for Beginners, Lessons LV–LVI, §§ 311–317. Public domain; Project Gutenberg.