A2 Comparisons 1 min read Leicht

Comparative (-raq/-rek)

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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

Add -raq or -rek to adjectives to mean 'more' or 'a bit more' of a quality.

  • Use -raq after back vowels (a, o, u): 'jaqsı' (good) -> 'jaqsıraq' (better).
  • Use -rek after front vowels (e, i, ö, ü): 'ülken' (big) -> 'ülkenirek' (bigger).
  • If the word ends in a vowel, it often drops or merges; if it ends in a consonant, attach directly.
Adjective + (-raq/-rek) = More [Adjective]

Meanings

The suffix -raq/-rek is used to express a comparative degree, indicating that something possesses a quality to a greater extent than something else, or to soften an adjective.

1

Comparative

Comparing two items where one has more of a quality.

“Bul alma tättirek.”

“Ol jaqsıraq.”

2

Softener

Softening an adjective to mean 'a bit' or 'somewhat'.

“Kün salqınraq.”

“Ol kishirek.”

Comparative Formation

Adjective Vowel Type Suffix Result
Jaqsı Back -raq Jaqsıraq
Ülken Front -rek Ülkenirek
Arzan Back -raq Arzanraq
Kishi Front -rek Kishirek
Tätti Front -rek Tättirek
Salqın Back -raq Salqınraq

Reference Table

Reference table for Comparative (-raq/-rek)
Form Structure Example
Affirmative Adj + raq/rek Bul jaqsıraq
Negative Emes + Adj + raq/rek Bul jaqsıraq emes
Question Adj + raq/rek + pe? Bul jaqsıraq pa?
Softener Adj + raq/rek Kün salqınraq
Comparison X-tan Y + raq/rek Bul anan jaqsıraq
Short Answer Yes/No Iä, jaqsıraq

Formalitätsspektrum

Formell
Bul jaqsıraq boladı.

Bul jaqsıraq boladı. (General opinion)

Neutral
Bul jaqsıraq.

Bul jaqsıraq. (General opinion)

Informell
Bul jaqsıraq ğoy.

Bul jaqsıraq ğoy. (General opinion)

Umgangssprache
Bul jaqsıraq ä!

Bul jaqsıraq ä! (General opinion)

Comparative Logic

Comparative

Back Vowels

  • Jaqsı Good
  • Arzan Cheap

Front Vowels

  • Ülken Big
  • Kishi Small

Vowel Harmony Chart

Back (a, o, u)
Jaqsıraq Better
Front (e, i, ö, ü)
Ülkenirek Bigger

Decision Flow

1

Is the last vowel back?

YES
Add -raq
NO
Add -rek

Usage Types

⚖️

Comparison

  • • Better than
  • • Bigger than
☁️

Softening

  • • A bit cold
  • • A bit small
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Examples by Level

1

Bul jaqsıraq.

This is better.

2

Ol ülkenirek.

That is bigger.

3

Kün ıstıqraq.

The day is warmer.

4

Bul tättirek.

This is sweeter.

1

Meniñ üyim senikinen jaqınraq.

My house is closer than yours.

2

Bul kiyim kishirek.

This clothing is a bit smaller.

3

Olar aqıldyraq.

They are smarter.

4

Jumıs köbirek.

There is more work.

1

Bügin kün salqınraq boladı.

Today the weather will be a bit colder.

2

Bul joba kürdelirek.

This project is more complex.

3

Ol mağan jaqsıraq qaraydı.

He treats me better.

4

Sizge arzanıraq kerek pe?

Do you need something cheaper?

1

Bul sheshim tiyimdiirek.

This decision is more efficient.

2

Ol öziniñ qateligin tüsinedirek.

He understands his mistake better.

3

Bular mañızdıraq mäseleler.

These are more important issues.

4

Onıñ aytqanı anıqıraq.

What he said is clearer.

1

Bul ädis jañalıqşıldıraq.

This method is more innovative.

2

Onıñ küzqarası tereñirek.

His perspective is deeper.

3

Bul tüsindirme tüsiniktiirek.

This explanation is more understandable.

4

Olar talapşılıraq.

They are more demanding.

1

Bul tildik qurylym kürdelirek.

This linguistic structure is more complex.

2

Onıñ ädebiy tili bayıraq.

His literary language is richer.

3

Bul taldau dälirek.

This analysis is more accurate.

4

Olar sezimtalıraq.

They are more sensitive.

Easily Confused

Comparative (-raq/-rek) vs. Superlative 'eñ'

Learners mix up 'more' and 'most'.

Comparative (-raq/-rek) vs. Diminutive suffixes

They look similar to -raq/-rek.

Comparative (-raq/-rek) vs. Case endings

Learners add case endings to the comparative.

Häufige Fehler

✗

Jaqsı-rek

✓

Jaqsıraq

Vowel harmony error.
✗

More jaqsı

✓

Jaqsıraq

Using 'more' as a separate word.
✗

Ülken-raq

✓

Ülkenirek

Vowel harmony error.
✗

Jaqsıraq-ler

✓

Jaqsıraq

Pluralizing the comparative.
✗

Eñ jaqsıraq

✓

Eñ jaqsı

Redundant superlative.
✗

Kishirek-ten

✓

Kishirek

Incorrect case usage.
✗

Salqınraq-em

✓

Salqınraq

Incorrect suffixation.
✗

Kürdelirek-raq

✓

Kürdelirek

Double suffixing.
✗

Arzanraq-rek

✓

Arzanraq

Vowel harmony mismatch.
✗

Jaqsıraq-raq

✓

Jaqsıraq

Redundant suffix.
✗

Tüsiniktiirek-raq

✓

Tüsiniktiirek

Morphological error.
✗

Dälirek-rek

✓

Dälirek

Redundancy.
✗

Bayıraq-raq

✓

Bayıraq

Redundancy.

Sentence Patterns

Bul ___raq.

Ol ___rek.

Bul ___raq emes.

___raq boladı.

Real World Usage

Shopping very common

Arzanıraq bar ma?

Weather common

Bügin ıstıqraq.

Texting constant

Jaqsıraq boladı.

Job Interview occasional

Bul tiyimdiirek.

Food Delivery common

Tättirek bolsın.

Travel common

Jaqınraq jol bar ma?

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💡

Check the vowels

Always look at the last vowel of the word to decide between -raq and -rek.
⚠️

Don't use 'more'

Never use a separate word for 'more'. It's always a suffix.
🎯

Softening

Use it to be polite when you don't want to sound too direct.
💬

Politeness

Kazakhs often use this to soften their opinions.

Smart Tips

Look at the last vowel of the root word.

Ülken-raq → Ülken-irek

Use -raq/-rek to soften your opinion.

Bul jaqsı emes. → Bul jaqsıraq boluı kerek.

Use the -tan/-ten suffix for the object you are comparing against.

Bul jaqsıraq. → Bul anan jaqsıraq.

Avoid repeating the suffix.

Bul jaqsıraq-raq. → Bul jaqsıraq.

Aussprache

jaqsı-raq / ülken-irek

Vowel Harmony

Ensure the suffix vowel matches the root vowel.

jaq-SI-raq

Stress

The stress usually moves to the syllable before the suffix.

Rising

Bul jaqsıraq pa? ↑

Questioning if something is better.

Falling

Bul jaqsıraq. ↓

Stating a fact.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Remember: 'Raq' is for the back (a, o, u), 'Rek' is for the front (e, i, ü).

Visual Association

Imagine a giant 'Raq' backpack on a back-vowel word, and a 'Rek' rocket on a front-vowel word.

Rhyme

Back vowels take the -raq, front vowels take the -rek, use them both to compare, and keep your speech in check!

Story

Aida wanted a bigger apple. She saw a small one and a 'ülkenirek' one. She chose the 'ülkenirek' one because it was 'tättirek'.

Word Web

JaqsıraqÜlkenirekArzanraqKishirekSalqınraqTättirek

Herausforderung

Find 3 things in your room and compare them using the -raq/-rek suffix in 5 minutes.

Kulturelle Hinweise

Using -raq/-rek is seen as polite and humble. It avoids sounding too direct or demanding.

In rural areas, this suffix is used frequently to describe livestock or land quality.

In cities, it is used in professional and social settings to negotiate prices or opinions.

The comparative suffix -raq/-rek is a common Turkic feature found in many related languages.

Conversation Starters

“

Bul kün salqınraq pa?

“

Qaysısı jaqsıraq?

“

Bul joba kürdelirek pe?

“

Sizge qaysısı tiyimdiirek?

Journal Prompts

Describe your day using three comparative adjectives.
Compare your city to another city.
Write about a difficult decision you made.
Discuss the pros and cons of remote work.
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Test Yourself

Fill in the blank with the correct suffix.

Bul jaqsı___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: raq
Jaqsı has a back vowel.
Choose the correct form. Multiple Choice

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ülkenirek
Ülken has a front vowel.
Fix the mistake. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Bul arzan-rek.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Arzanraq
Arzan has a back vowel.
Reorder the words. Sentence Reorder

Arrange the words in the correct order:

All words placed

Click words above to build the sentence

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Bul jaqsıraq.
Standard word order.
Translate to Kazakh. Übersetzung

This is bigger.

Answer starts with: Bul...

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Bul ülkenirek.
Correct suffix for front vowel.
Match the adjective to its comparative. Match Pairs

Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Jaqsıraq, Ülkenirek
Correct vowel harmony.
Conjugate the adjective. Conjugation Drill

Tätti + ?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: rek
Tätti has a front vowel.
Build a sentence. Sentence Building

Use 'salqın' to compare.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Kün salqınraq.
Correct comparative structure.

Score: /8

Ubungsaufgaben

8 exercises
Fill in the blank with the correct suffix.

Bul jaqsı___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: raq
Jaqsı has a back vowel.
Choose the correct form. Multiple Choice

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ülkenirek
Ülken has a front vowel.
Fix the mistake. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Bul arzan-rek.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Arzanraq
Arzan has a back vowel.
Reorder the words. Sentence Reorder

jaqsıraq / bul / .

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Bul jaqsıraq.
Standard word order.
Translate to Kazakh. Übersetzung

This is bigger.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Bul ülkenirek.
Correct suffix for front vowel.
Match the adjective to its comparative. Match Pairs

Jaqsı -> ?, Ülken -> ?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Jaqsıraq, Ülkenirek
Correct vowel harmony.
Conjugate the adjective. Conjugation Drill

Tätti + ?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: rek
Tätti has a front vowel.
Build a sentence. Sentence Building

Use 'salqın' to compare.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Kün salqınraq.
Correct comparative structure.

Score: /8

FAQ (8)

Almost all, yes. It is a very productive suffix.

Usually, you just add the suffix. Sometimes the final vowel might merge.

It is neutral and used in all registers.

Check your vowel harmony. That is the most common reason.

No, it is strictly for adjectives.

Use 'eñ' before the adjective.

Yes, similar forms exist in Turkish and others.

Try comparing things in your daily life.

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In Other Languages

Spanish low

más + adjective

Suffix vs separate word.

French low

plus + adjective

Suffix vs separate word.

German moderate

adjective + -er

Kazakh uses vowel harmony, German uses umlauts.

Japanese low

A wa B yori [adjective]

Particle vs suffix.

Arabic low

af'al pattern

Template change vs suffix.

Chinese low

bi + adjective

Particle vs suffix.

Next
Superlative (en)

Related Grammar Rules

A2

Comparing Objects
A2

Degrees of Comparison
A2

Superlative (en)
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