Comparatives: -ago… baino
Comparison is built with the suffix -ago: merkea → merkeago — cheaper. "Than" is baino: Azoka merkeagoa da supermerkatua baino — the market is cheaper than the supermarket. For example: “Arrain hau freskoagoa da harekin baino” — This fish is fresher than that one. A rule from the Basque course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
Comparison is built with the suffix -ago: merkea → merkeago — cheaper. "Than" is baino: Azoka merkeagoa da supermerkatua baino — the market is cheaper than the supermarket.
The irregular pairs you learn whole: hobe — better, okerrago — worse, handiago — bigger, txikiago — smaller.
Table
| positive | comparative | |
|---|---|---|
| expensive | garestia | garestiagoa |
| good | ona | hobe |
| bad | txarra | okerragoa |
| big | handia | handiagoa |
By example
- Arrain hau freskoagoa da harekin bainoThis fish is fresher than that one
- Pisua garestiagoa da baino lehenThe rent is more expensive than before
- Gaur hotzagoa da atzo bainoToday is colder than yesterday
How the rule settles in your head
A rule is not memorized from an explanation. It is memorized from an attempt to use it and a mistake — that is why the app delivers it mixed in with words, not as a separate lesson: it resurfaces exactly where you forgot it.
Frequently asked
Comparatives: how does it work in Basque?
Comparison is built with the suffix -ago: merkea → merkeago — cheaper. "Than" is baino: Azoka merkeagoa da supermerkatua baino — the market is cheaper than the supermarket.
What does it look like in an example sentence Basque?
“Arrain hau freskoagoa da harekin baino” — This fish is fresher than that one. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.