In Persian, adjectives can function as adverbs. The relation between adverbs and adjectives also applies to comparative form. That is, comparative adjectives can function as comparative adverbs. For instance, آرامتر can mean “slower” (adjective) or “more slowly” (adverb) depending on whether it modifies a noun (adjectival role) or another part of speech (adverbial role). The comparative form of adverbs has three types:
- comparative of superiority (e.g. “more beautifully”)
- comparative of equality (e.g. “as beautifully as”)
- comparative of inferiority (e.g. “less beautifully”)
Comparative Adverbs of Superiority
The comparative of superiority is the primary type of comparison. Comparative adverbs of superiority are identical to comparative adjectives of superiority. They are constructed by suffixing “-tar”.
| Adverb | Superior Form |
|---|---|
| آرام ⟨ârâm⟩ slowly |
آرامتر ⟨ârâmtar⟩ more slowly |
| تند ⟨tond⟩ rapidly, faster |
تندتر ⟨tondtar⟩ more rapidly, faster |
| آسان ⟨âsân⟩ easily |
آسانتر ⟨âsântar⟩ more easily |
| روان ⟨ravân⟩ fluently |
روانتر ⟨ravântar⟩ more fluently |
Examples
- فارسی را از تو روانتر صحبت میکند
⟨fârsi râ az to ravântar sohbat mikonad⟩
She speaks Persian more fluently than you - تندتر از حد مجاز رانندگی میکرد
⟨tondtar az hadd-e mojâz rânandegi mikard⟩
He was driving faster than the legal limit - قطار کندتر از هواپیما حرکت میکند
⟨ǧatâr kondtar az havâpeymâ harkat mikonad⟩
Trains go more slowly than planes - آنها بردند چون بهتر بازی کردند
⟨ânhâ bordand čon behtar bâzi kardand⟩
They won because they played better - او تندتر دوید و اول شد
⟨u tondtar david o avval šod⟩
She ran faster and came first - میشود کمی آرامتر صحبت بکنید؟
⟨mišavad kam-i ârâmtar sohbat bekonid?⟩
Could you talk a bit more quietly please?