# Italian/Grammar/Comparatives and superlatives
## Differences in comparatives / superlatives between English and Italian

In English, the comparative and the superlative can be created both by adding the modifiers more, less, most, least or by adding the suffixes -er, -est. In Italian, since suffixes of the kind are not added to regular adverbs and adjectives, the only way to create comparatives and superlatives is to add modifiers like più or meno (equivalent to more,less...).
Along with articles, adjectives must have the same gender and number of the referred noun.

## Comparatives / comparative
### Basic structure:

...Più/meno + adjective/adverb(or noun) + di/che...
Examples

### DI or CHE

The word than can be translated with both di and che. There are some rules that determine which is to be used.

#### Che is to be used when comparing two

   * adjectives referred to the same person or thing
   * infinitives
   * participles
   * nouns referred to a person or thing
   * nouns or pronouns preceded by a preposition
Examples

#### Di is to be used when Che is not compulsory, such as

   * when followed by a number
   * when comparing two objects A&B using the structure: [A] + verb + più/meno + adj/adv(or noun) + DI + [B]
   * when using the words "più/meno di quanto + verb" or "più/meno di quel che + verb"
   * when comparing two improper nouns (the 'di' then articulates)
Examples

## Superlatives / Superlativi

In Italian, as in most romance languages, the elative and superlative forms are joined in the Superlativo, which can be of two kinds: Superlativo relativo (comparative) or Superlativo assoluto (absolute).

### Superlativo relativo

It represents a general quality that, even if expressed at its highest level, is still compared with that of other objects (more than 2). It is formed simply by using più or meno between the determinative article and the adjective. Examples

### Superlativo assoluto

It represents a general quality at its maximum level (like the elative). Normally, it is formed by adding the suffix -issimo to the adjective's ending. The end of the suffix indicates the gender and number of the noun it refers to, therefore:
* -issimo masculine, singular
* -issimi masculine, plural
* -issima feminine, singular
* -issime feminine, plural
Examples
Another way to form the absolute superlative is to put words such as molto, tanto... (very, much...) before the adjective.

## Irregular forms

There are some adjectives/adverbs that have their own form of superlative and comparativo di maggioranza (comparative using più and not meno):
| Positive | Comparativo di maggioranza | Absolute superlative |
| Buono good | Migliore better | Ottimo best |
| Cattivo bad | Peggiore worse | Pessimo worst |
| Grande big | Maggiore bigger | Massimo biggest |
| Piccolo small | Minore smaller | Minimo smallest |
| Alto tall | Superiore taller | Sommo tallest |
| Basso low | Inferiore lower | Infimo lowest |
| Bene (adv) well | Meglio (adv) better | Benissimo (adv) very well |
| Male (adv) badly | Peggio (adv) worse | Malissimo (adv) very badly |
Even if an irregular form is present, most of these adjectives can be used with their regular one. As a matter of fact, you will never hear an Italian addressing to Marco and say: "Marco è sommo".
There are also words deriving from Latin terms ending with "-er", which kept a superlative form similar to the old Latin one. The most "common" are:
| Positive | Absolute Superlative |
| Acre (acrid) | Acerrimo |
| Misero (poor) | Miserrimo |
| Integro (integral) | Integerrimo |
| Celebre (renowned) | Celeberrimo |
| Salubre (healthy) | Saluberrimo |
| Tetro (gloomy) | Teterrimo |
| Benefico (beneficent) | Beneficentissimo |
| Magnifico (magnificent) | Magnificentissimo |