Hebrew forms comparative and superlative adjectives not by changing the adjective itself, but by using phrases and prepositions that express comparison and emphasis.
Comparative: “More Than…”
To compare two things, Hebrew uses the adjective in its basic form followed by the preposition מִן (min – than). In practice, this often appears as the prefix מ– (mi-), attached directly to the word that follows.
Examples:
- הילד גבוה מהילדה – The boy is taller than the girl
(literally: tall from the girl) - הספר מעניין מהסרט – The book is more interesting than the movie
In spoken Hebrew, the phrase יותר מ– (yoter mi- – more than) is commonly used for clarity or emphasis:
- הילד יותר גבוה מהילדה – The boy is more tall than the girl
Both forms are correct, and the use of מ– as a prefix is a natural part of Hebrew syntax.
Superlative: “The Most…”
To express the superlative, Hebrew uses הכי (hachi) before the adjective.
Examples:
- הכי טוב – the best
- הכי יפה – the most beautiful
- הוא הילד הכי חכם בכיתה – He is the smartest boy in the class
This structure remains consistent across gender and number:
- הילדות הכי חכמות – the smartest girls
- הבת הכי גבוהה – the tallest daughter
Summary
- Comparative: adjective + מִן or יותר מ–
- Superlative: הכי + adjective
- The preposition מִן often appears as the prefix מ– before the compared noun
- Adjectives still agree in gender, number, and definiteness with the noun they describe