Comparatives הַשְׁוָואָה
Hebrew does not inflect adjectives into “-er” forms. You build a comparative with יוֹתֵר and mi, a superlative with הַכִּי in speech or בְּיוֹתֵר in writing, and equality with כְּמוֹ.
Say יוֹתֵר + adjective + mi for “more than,” הַכִּי + adjective for the spoken superlative, and כְּמוֹ for “as / like.”
יוֹתֵר can stand before or after the adjective: יוֹתֵר גָּדוֹל or גָּדוֹל יוֹתֵר. The standard than-phrase is mi or מִן: יוֹתֵר גָּדוֹל מִמֶּנִּי, יָקָר יוֹתֵר מִזֶּה. פָּחוֹת builds “less”: פָּחוֹת יָקָר, פָּחוֹת מְהִיר. מאשר is a longer “than” used with clauses and sometimes with nouns in careful style.
| Hebrew | Transliteration | English | |
|---|---|---|---|
| הוּא יוֹתֵר גָּבוֹהַּ מִמֶּנִּי | hu yoter gavoah mimeni | He is taller than I am | |
| זֶה פָּחוֹת יָקָר | ze pakhot yakar | This is less expensive | |
| הַבַּיִת גָּדוֹל יוֹתֵר מֵהַדִּירָה | habayit gadol yoter mehadirah | The house is bigger than the apartment |
| Degree | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Comparative | yoter ... mi- | יוֹתֵר גָּדוֹל מִמֶּנִּי |
| Less | pakhot ... mi- | פָּחוֹת יָקָר |
| Superlative (speech) | הכי | הַכִּי טוֹב |
| Superlative (writing) | ביותר | הַטּוֹב בְּיוֹתֵר |
| Equality | כמו | גָּדוֹל כְּמוֹךָ |
Spoken Israeli Hebrew uses הַכִּי before the adjective: הַכִּי טוֹב, הַכִּי מָהִיר, הַשִּׁיר הַכִּי יָפֶה. A written alternative places בְּיוֹתֵר after a definite adjective: הַטּוֹב בְּיוֹתֵר. You will also hear הכי plus a noun phrase: הַכִּי הַרְבֵּה אֲנָשִׁים. Do not add a Hebrew “-est” suffix; none exists in the living language.
| Hebrew | Transliteration | English | |
|---|---|---|---|
| זֶה הַסֵּרֶט הַכִּי טוֹב | ze haseret hakhi tov | This is the best film | |
| הִיא הַתַּלְמִידָה הַטּוֹבָה בְּיוֹתֵר | hi hatalmidah hatovah beyoter | She is the best student (written flavor) |
כְּמוֹ is “like / as”: כְּמוֹךָ, כְּמוֹ תָּמִיד, גָּדוֹל כְּמוֹ אַבָּא. כָּל כָּךְ... שֶׁ builds “so... that”: כָּל כָּךְ עָיֵף שֶׁהוּא נִרְדַּם. “Too” in the sense of excessive is מִדַּי after the adjective: גָּדוֹל מִדַּי, יָקָר מִדַּי. יותר מדי is “too much” as a quantity.
| Hebrew | Transliteration | English | |
|---|---|---|---|
| הוּא מְדַבֵּר כְּמוֹךָ | hu medaber kmokha | He talks like you | |
| זֶה יָקָר מִדַּי | ze yakar midai | That is too expensive | |
| יֵשׁ יוֹתֵר מִדַּי מֶלַח | yesh yoter midai melakh | There is too much salt |
Exceptions
Tov and ra take no special comparative stem
There is no daily equivalent of English “better” as a new adjective stem. Say יוֹתֵר טוֹב or טוֹב יוֹתֵר, הַכִּי טוֹב. Literary טוֹב מִן exists in set phrases, but learners can stay with יותר.
Mi versus me before ha
The prefix mi before a definite article often surfaces as me: מֵהַבַּיִת, מֵהָעִיר. The comparative “than the…” therefore looks like מֵהַ: גָּדוֹל מֵהַבַּיִת הַזֶּה. That is still mi plus הַ, not a new preposition.
Common mistakes
גָּדוֹלֵר מִמֶּנִּי → יוֹתֵר גָּדוֹל מִמֶּנִּי
Hebrew has no -er ending; use יוֹתֵר.
הַכִּי בְּיוֹתֵר טוֹב → הַכִּי טוֹב
Pick one superlative frame, not both stacked.
יוֹתֵר גָּדוֹל מִן אֲנִי → יוֹתֵר גָּדוֹל מִמֶּנִּי
“Than me” uses the prepositional suffix form מִמֶּנִּי, not מִן plus אֲנִי.
Go on to
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