English has some adjectives that don't behave themselves when forming the comparative and superlative. The degrees of the adjective “good,” for instance, are not “gooder” and “goodest.” They are, unpredictably, “good,” “better,” “best.” Latin has its share of these irregulars as well. TABLE 7-2 shows the most common of these adjectives that compare irregularly in Latin. They just have to be memorized. Most have English derivatives, which will help you remember them.

Table 7-2 Adjectives with Irregular Comparative Forms

* Plus is actually a noun in the singular (plus, pluris, n. — more), but in the plural it is a regular comparative adjective.

** The words prae and prope are prepositions, not adjectives. (You will learn about prepositions in Chapter 8.) The comparative and superlative degree forms of these prepositions, however, are adjectives.

See the following exercise for practice with irregular comparatives and superlatives.

Forming Irregular Comparatives and Superlatives

Translate the following noun phrases and substantives into English.

• canēs optimī

• domus minor

• locus extrē mus

• pessimō s

• nihil superius

• rēgēs plurimī

• maximum

• loca ī ma

• tempus prius

• dominum meliorem