Comparison of Adverbs
If you can do something “well,” you can do something “better”; and if that's the case, why not do it “extremely well”? Adverbs have comparative degrees just like adjectives. As a matter of fact, their comparative forms are based on the comparative forms of adjectives. If you already know how adjectives compare, then you already know how adverbs do, both in form and use.
Positive |
Comparative |
Superlative |
plā nē |
plā nius |
plā nissimē |
(evenly) |
(rather evenly) |
(amazingly evenly) |
miserē |
miserius |
miserrimē |
(miserably) |
(kind of miserably) |
(very miserably) |
suā viter |
suā vius |
suā vissimē |
(sweetly) |
(pretty sweetly) |
(extremely sweetly) |
potenter |
potentius |
potentissimē |
(powerfully) |
(sort of powerfully) |
(unbelievably powerfully) |
bene |
melius |
optimē |
(well) |
(better) |
(best) |
facile |
facilus |
facillimē |
(easily) |
(rather easily) |
(really easily) |
saepe |
saepius |
saepissimē |
(often) |
(too often) |
(very often) |
diū |
diū tius |
diū tissimē |
(for a long time) |
(for a rather long time) |
(for a very long time) |
magnopere |
magis |
maximē |
(greatly) |
(more greatly) |
(most greatly) |
If you examine these forms closely, you'll notice that they are either familiar or predictable. You already learned how to form adverbs from adjectives in the positive degree. The comparative degree is merely the neuter form of the comparative adjective (-ius). Since all adjectives in the superlative are first/second declension, all superlative adjectives make their adverbs by simply adding -ē to the stem (-issimē or -imē).
There are only two really important irregular adverbs that you should know. One is the adverb for magnus: magnopere (“greatly”). It has magis for a comparative, and its superlative is predictable: maximē. The other irregular adverb is the superlative of multum (“much”), namely plurimum.
Practicing Adverbs
Fill in the blanks in this adverb formation and comparison chart:
Don't forget that comparatives and superlatives are like adjectives in meaning. The comparative adverb celerius for example means “more quickly” only if a direct comparison is being made (e.g., Frank runs more quickly than George). Otherwise it only means “pretty quick.” (e.g., Frank runs pretty quickly). The similar concept behind the superlative also applies.
aeternus, -a, -um |
eternal |
aqua, -ae, f. |
water |
aureus, -a, -um |
golden |
caput, capitis, n. |
head |
cē nsilium, consiliī, n. |
plan, advice, assembly |
dī versus, -a, -um |
different, assorted |
hū mā nus, -a, -um |
kind, human, civilized |
iuvenis, iuvenis |
young |
laetus, -a, -um |
fertile, happy, fat |
lā tus, -a, -um |
wide |
nā tū ra, -ae, f. |
nature |
nē bilis, -e |
well known, upper class |
paucī, -ae, -a |
few |
pauper, pauperis, paupere |
poor (not wealthy) |
pē s, pedis, m. |
foot |
quam, adv. |
see page 76 |
simul, adv. |
at the same time (simul ac [at the same time as]) |
singulus, -a, -um |
individual, separate |
tener, tenera, tenerum |
soft, gentle, tender |
valdē , adv. |
very, intensely |
varius, -a, -um |
various, different, assorted |
via, -ae, f. |
road, way |
virtū s, virtū tis, f. |
manliness, courage, virtue, excellence |
vī vus, -a, -um |
living, alive |
cadē , -ere, cecidī,cā sum |
to fall, happen |
disō -ere, didicī, — — — |
to learn |
praecipiē , -ere, -cē pī, -ceptum |
to teach, take beforehand |
surgē , -ere, surrexī , surrē ctum |
to get up, rise |
trā dē , -ere, trā didī , trā ditum |
to hand over, surrender |
cū rē, -ā re, -ā vī, -ā tum |
to care for |
labor, labē ris, m. |
work |
potestā s, potestā tis, f. |
power |
os, ossis, n. |
bone |
Latin-to-English Translations
Translate these Latin sentences into English.
Tum mī litēs Troiā nī et deās et deōs offendē runt.
Iam tempora erant neque gravia neque difficilia.
Aliī canē sā crius quam aliī latrā bant.
Sī c habuit mulier vitam breviorem sed dulcem.
Quam magnus fuit pater tuus!
English-to-Latin Translations
Translate these English sentences into Latin:
The bad master cared for his slaves rather poorly.
My work used to be easier than your work.
The king held power for as long a time as he could.
The goddess was sad because she saw extremely difficult times.
Your dog used to love really big bones.
