A2 Comparisons 5 min read Leicht

Irregular Comparisons

Romanian comparisons use mai plus the adjective, which must always agree in gender and number with the noun.
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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

Some Romanian adjectives don't follow the 'mai' rule; they have unique forms for 'better' and 'best' that you must memorize.

  • Use 'bun' (good) -> 'mai bun' (better) -> 'cel mai bun' (best).
  • Use 'rău' (bad) -> 'mai rău' (worse) -> 'cel mai rău' (worst).
  • Use 'mare' (big) -> 'mai mare' (bigger) -> 'cel mai mare' (biggest).
Adjective + mai + Adjective = Comparative

Overview

Comparing things is part of everyday life. You do it when you shop. You do it when you order food.
In Romanian, comparing usually follows a simple rule. You just add mai before the adjective. However, some words are special.
We call these the big six. These are bun, rău, mare, mic, mult, and puțin. They are the heavy lifters of the language.
You will use them constantly. They are like the VIPs of Romanian grammar. They follow the standard rules but change meanings slightly.
Learning them makes you sound like a pro. It helps you express preferences clearly. Think of it like upgrading your language software.
You are moving from basic to fluent. Let's dive into these essential forms together.

How This Grammar Works

Romanian comparisons are actually quite friendly. Unlike English, we don't change the whole word. In English, good becomes better. In Romanian, bun stays bun.
You just put mai in front of it. So, mai bun means better. This is great news for your brain. You don't have to memorize totally new words.
But wait, there is a catch. Romanian adjectives must match the noun. They care about gender and number.
If the pizza is good, it is bună. If it is better, it is mai bună. It is like a dance partnership.
The adjective always follows the noun's lead. If you forget this, people still understand. But matching them makes you sound very polished.
It is the difference between a tuxedo and a tracksuit.

Formation Pattern

1
Start with your base adjective like bun or mare.
2
Add the word mai right before the adjective.
3
This creates the comparative form like mai bun (better).
4
For the absolute best, add cel before mai.
5
Adjust cel for gender: cel, cea, cei, or cele.
6
Match the adjective ending to the noun as well.
7
For example, cea mai bună cafea (the best coffee).
8
Use decât to say than when comparing two things.
9
Cafeaua e mai bună decât ceaiul (Coffee is better than tea).
10
That is the whole recipe for success!

When To Use It

Use these forms when you need to make choices. Imagine you are at a Romanian market. You want the biggest watermelon.
You would ask for cea mai mare pepene. Or maybe you are at a job interview. You want to say you have more experience.
You would use mai multă experiență. It is perfect for sharing opinions too. Tell your friend which movie was worse.
Use mai rău for that. Use mai mare and mai mic for ages too. In Romania, an older brother is a frate mai mare.
It isn't just about physical size. It is about seniority and importance. Use these when you want to be specific.
They help you navigate the world with confidence. Even native speakers use these hundreds of times a day.

When Not To Use It

Don't use these with adjectives that are already absolute. You can't be more dead or more unique. Words like mort or unic don't need mai. Also, don't double up on the comparison.
In English, we don't say more better. In Romanian, don't say mai mai bun. That is like wearing two hats at once. It's just too much.
Be careful with adverbs versus adjectives too. Bine (well) becomes mai bine (better). But bun (good) becomes mai bun.
If you are describing an action, use the adverb. If you are describing a thing, use the adjective. Don't mix them up at a fancy dinner.
Your soup isn't mai bine. Your soup is mai bună.

Common Mistakes

One big mistake is ignoring the gender. A common slip is saying mai bun for everything. Remember that o mașină (a car) is feminine. So the car is mai bună, not mai bun. It's a tiny change with a big impact. Another mistake is forgetting the word decât. Some learners try to use că for than. In Romanian, mai bun că sounds very strange. Always stick with decât for comparisons. Think of it as the bridge between two items. Also, watch out for mult and multă. These change based on what you are counting. Mai multă apă (more water) vs mai mulți bani (more money). Yes, even native speakers mess this up sometimes. Just take a breath and try again.

Contrast With Similar Patterns

Compare these to the regular comparison pattern. Most adjectives like frumos (beautiful) are simple. You just say mai frumos.
The big six are different because of their frequency. They also have those sneaky secondary meanings. Mare means big but also great or old. Mic means small but also young. Regular adjectives don't usually shift meanings like this.
Also, contrast them with the superlative of inferiority. You can say something is less good using mai puțin bun. It is the opposite of mai bun.
It's like a grammar traffic light. Mai is green for more. Mai puțin is red for less.
Most learners focus only on the more side. Don't forget the less side exists too!

Quick FAQ

Q

Is mai bine the same as mai bun?

No, mai bine describes actions, mai bun describes things.

Q

How do I say older brother?

Use frate mai mare, literally bigger brother.

Q

Can I use mai with every adjective?

Almost every adjective, except for absolute ones like perfect.

Q

What word means than?

Use the word decât for comparisons.

Q

Does mult change for gender?

Yes, it becomes multă for feminine singular nouns.

Q

Is there a word for worse?

Yes, it is mai rău for masculine or mai rea for feminine.

Q

How do I say the best?

Use cel mai bun or cea mai bună.

Meanings

These adjectives change their root or follow specific patterns to express degrees of quality or size.

1

Quality comparison

Comparing the goodness or badness of two items.

“Ea este mai bună la matematică.”

“Acest vin este mai rău decât cel de ieri.”

Comparative and Superlative Forms

Adjective Comparative (M) Comparative (F) Superlative (M) Superlative (F)
Bun (Good) Mai bun Mai bună Cel mai bun Cea mai bună
Rău (Bad) Mai rău Mai rea Cel mai rău Cea mai rea
Mare (Big) Mai mare Mai mare Cel mai mare Cea mai mare

Reference Table

Reference table for Irregular Comparisons
Adjective (M/F) Comparative Superlative English Meaning
bun / bună mai bun / bună cel mai bun good / better / best
rău / rea mai rău / rea cel mai rău bad / worse / worst
mare mai mare cel mai mare big / bigger / biggest
mic / mică mai mic / mică cel mai mic small / smaller / smallest
mult / multă mai mult / multă cel mai mult much / more / most
puțin / puțină mai puțin / puțină cel mai puțin little / less / least

Formalitätsspektrum

Formell
Aceasta este o opțiune mai bună.

Aceasta este o opțiune mai bună. (Choosing an option)

Neutral
Aceasta este mai bună.

Aceasta este mai bună. (Choosing an option)

Informell
E mai bună.

E mai bună. (Choosing an option)

Umgangssprache
E mai șmecheră.

E mai șmecheră. (Choosing an option)

The Big Six Irregular Meanings

Irregular Comparisons

Quality

  • bun better/best
  • rău worse/worst

Size/Age

  • mare bigger/older
  • mic smaller/younger

Adjective vs Superlative

Base Adjective
bun good
mult much
Superlative (The Most)
cel mai bun the best
cel mai mult the most

How to Form a Comparison

1

Is it a comparison of 'more'?

YES ↓
NO
Use 'mai puțin' for 'less'.
2

Is the noun feminine?

YES ↓
NO
Use 'mai' + masculine adjective (e.g., mai bun).
3

Is it singular?

YES ↓
NO
Use 'mai' + feminine plural (e.g., mai bune).

Usage Scenarios

🛍️

Shopping

  • • mai ieftin
  • • mai scump
👨‍👩-👧

Family

  • • mai mare (older)
  • • mai mic (younger)
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Examples by Level

1

Acest măr este mai bun.

This apple is better.

2

El este mai rău.

He is worse.

3

Casa este mai mare.

The house is bigger.

4

Ea este mai bună.

She is better.

1

Această mașină este mai bună decât a mea.

This car is better than mine.

2

Vremea este mai rea azi.

The weather is worse today.

3

El are un frate mai mare.

He has an older brother.

4

Este cel mai bun film.

It is the best movie.

1

Ei sunt cei mai buni studenți din clasă.

They are the best students in the class.

2

Aceasta este cea mai mare problemă a noastră.

This is our biggest problem.

3

Situația a devenit mai rea decât ne așteptam.

The situation became worse than we expected.

4

Ea a ales cea mai bună opțiune.

She chose the best option.

1

Performanța lor a fost mai bună decât în anii precedenți.

Their performance was better than in previous years.

2

Acesta este cel mai rău scenariu posibil.

This is the worst possible scenario.

3

Proiectul a fost mai mare decât am anticipat.

The project was bigger than we anticipated.

4

Ea este cea mai bună candidată pentru acest post.

She is the best candidate for this position.

1

Este, fără îndoială, cea mai bună lucrare a sa.

It is, without a doubt, his best work.

2

Consecințele au fost mai rele decât ne-am imaginat.

The consequences were worse than we imagined.

3

Am întâlnit cea mai mare provocare a carierei mele.

I encountered the biggest challenge of my career.

4

Această abordare este mai bună din punct de vedere tehnic.

This approach is better from a technical point of view.

1

A fost cea mai mare onoare să particip la acest eveniment.

It was the greatest honor to participate in this event.

2

Nu există o soluție mai bună pentru această problemă complexă.

There is no better solution for this complex problem.

3

Rezultatele au fost cele mai bune din ultimul deceniu.

The results were the best in the last decade.

4

Aceasta este cea mai rea decizie pe care a luat-o vreodată.

This is the worst decision he has ever made.

Easily Confused

Irregular Comparisons vs. Mai bun vs Mai bine

Learners mix up adjectives and adverbs.

Irregular Comparisons vs. Decât vs Ca

Learners use 'ca' for comparisons.

Irregular Comparisons vs. Cel mai vs Mai

Learners use 'cel mai' for simple comparisons.

Häufige Fehler

✗

mai bunul

✓

mai bun

Do not add the definite article to the comparative.
✗

mai mai bun

✓

mai bun

Only one 'mai' is needed.
✗

bun mai

✓

mai bun

The particle 'mai' must come before the adjective.
✗

mai bine

✓

mai bun

Use 'mai bun' for adjectives, 'mai bine' for adverbs.
✗

cel mai bună

✓

cea mai bună

Gender agreement is required for the article.
✗

mai marele

✓

mai mare

Avoid unnecessary articles.
✗

mai rău decât

✓

mai rău decât

Correct, but ensure 'decât' is used.
✗

cei mai bune

✓

cele mai bune

Plural agreement for feminine nouns.
✗

mai mare decât mine

✓

mai mare decât mine

Correct usage.
✗

cel mai bunii

✓

cei mai buni

Correct plural form.
✗

mai bun ca

✓

mai bun decât

Use 'decât' for comparisons.
✗

cel mai marele

✓

cel mai mare

Redundant article.
✗

mai rău ca

✓

mai rău decât

Use 'decât'.

Sentence Patterns

Acest ___ este mai bun decât celălalt.

Aceasta este cea mai ___ problemă.

Situația este mai ___ decât ieri.

El este cel mai ___ student din grupă.

Real World Usage

Ordering food constant

Este mai bun acest meniu?

Social media very common

Cea mai bună zi!

Job interview common

Sunt cea mai bună alegere.

Travel common

Acest hotel este mai mare.

Texting very common

E mai rău decât credeam.

Shopping common

Aceasta este mai bună.

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💡

Age is just a size

In Romanian, you don't use 'old' (bătrân) to say someone is older than you. Use 'mai mare' (bigger). It's much more polite!
⚠️

The 'Decât' Trap

Only use 'decât' in negative sentences or comparisons. If you say 'I have only two apples,' use 'numai' or 'doar', not 'decât' unless there is a 'nu'!
🎯

Adverb vs Adjective

If you are talking about health, say 'Mă simt mai bine' (I feel better). If you are talking about a cake, say 'E mai bună'.
💬

Polite Comparisons

Romanians often use 'mai' to soften requests. 'Aș dori o cafea mai mare' sounds very natural and polite when ordering.

Smart Tips

Always use 'decât' after the comparative adjective.

E mai bun mine. → E mai bun decât mine.

Check the gender of the noun first.

E cel mai bună mașină. → E cea mai bună mașină.

Use 'mai bun' for nouns, not 'mai bine'.

E mai bine om. → E un om mai bun.

Remember to pluralize the adjective.

Sunt mai bun. → Sunt mai buni.

Aussprache

mai BUN

Stress

The stress remains on the adjective, not the 'mai'.

Rising

Este mai bun? ↑

Questioning quality

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Bun is Better, Rău is Worse, Mare is Bigger—remember the B-R-M trio!

Visual Association

Imagine a 'Bun' (bread) that is getting bigger and better. Imagine a 'Rău' (bad) monster getting worse. Imagine a 'Mare' (big) giant growing.

Rhyme

Bun e mai bun, Rău e mai rău, Mare e mai mare, așa e mereu!

Story

I had a good (bun) day, but my friend had a better (mai bun) day. The weather was bad (rău), but then it got worse (mai rău). My house is big (mare), but his is bigger (mai mare).

Word Web

bunmai buncel mai bunrăumai răucel mai răumaremai marecel mai mare

Herausforderung

Write 3 sentences comparing your favorite foods using 'mai bun'.

Kulturelle Hinweise

Romanians are very expressive with comparisons; using 'cel mai' is common for emphasis.

In some regions, people use 'mai' very frequently for emphasis.

Youth often use slang like 'tare' instead of 'bun'.

The word 'mai' comes from Latin 'magis'.

Conversation Starters

“

Care film este mai bun?

“

Este vremea mai rea azi?

“

Care este cea mai mare provocare a ta?

“

Crezi că situația economică este mai bună acum?

Journal Prompts

Compare your two favorite foods.
Describe a time when a situation got worse.
Write about the biggest challenge you faced this year.
Discuss the best decision you ever made.
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Test Yourself

Choose the correct form of 'bun' to compare two feminine nouns.

Cafeaua de aici este ___ decât cea de acasă.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: mai bună
Since 'cafeaua' is feminine singular, the adjective must be 'bună'.
Express that someone is the oldest in a group (masculine).

Andrei este cel ___ din clasă.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: mai mare
'Mai mare' is used to denote 'older' in Romanian.
Use the correct word for 'than' in a comparison.

București este mai mare ___ Brașov.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: decât
'Decât' is the standard preposition for comparing two distinct nouns.

Score: /3

Ubungsaufgaben

8 exercises
Fill in the blank.

Acest măr este ___ bun decât celălalt.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: mai
Use 'mai' for comparative.
Choose the correct form. Multiple Choice

Ea este ___ bună fată din clasă.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: cea mai
Superlative for feminine noun.
Fix the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

El este mai bunul decât mine.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: El este mai bun decât mine.
Remove the article.
Reorder the words. Sentence Reorder

bun / este / mai / acesta / decât / celălalt

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Acesta este mai bun decât celălalt.
Correct word order.
Translate to Romanian. Übersetzung

This is the worst movie.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Acesta este cel mai rău film.
Superlative of 'rău'.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: Cum e mâncarea? B: E ___ decât ieri.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: mai bună
Agreement with 'mâncare'.
Build a sentence. Sentence Building

Use 'mare' to compare two cities.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: București este mai mare decât Cluj.
Correct comparative structure.
Sort the forms. Grammar Sorting

Which is the superlative of 'bun' (masc)?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: cel mai bun
Correct superlative form.

Score: /8

FAQ (8)

It comes from Latin 'magis' and is the standard way to form comparatives.

Yes, for almost all adjectives, including irregulars.

For superlatives (the best/biggest).

No, 'mai' is invariable.

'Mai bun' is for adjectives (nouns), 'mai bine' is for adverbs (verbs).

Yes, 'mai bun' is the correct comparative.

Yes, 'Nu este mai bun'.

Yes, but 'bun', 'rău', and 'mare' are the most important.

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In Other Languages

Spanish low

mejor

Romanian keeps the base adjective.

French low

meilleur

Romanian is analytical.

German low

besser

Romanian word order.

Japanese moderate

yori ii

Syntax structure.

Arabic low

afdal

Morphology.

Chinese high

geng hao

Romanian requires gender agreement.

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