Modern Hindi Grammar - Indian Institute of Language Studies (IILS)

4. SYNTAX

4.3.11. Superlatives

Superlatives are usually expressed by substituting saba sao AiQak sab se
adhik ‘most’, savaao-tma sarvotam ‘best’, or hr ek maoM sao har ek mẽ se ‘out of
all’ for the standard of comparison. Superlative constructions are
also formed by the use of kao[- dUsara koi: du:sra: ‘anyone else’ plus the
negative particle.

1. Aimat kxaa maoM saba sao AiQak bauiwmaana hOOO.
   amit kakša: mẽ sab se adhik buddhima:n h ́.
   Amit class in out of all more wise is
   Amit is wisest of all in his class.


2. ]maa saba sao AiQak toja, daOD,tI hOOO.
   uma: sab se adhik tez dørti: h ́.
   Uma out of all more fast run-pr is
   Uma runs faster than everyone else.


3. ivajaya sao catur AaOr kao[- dUsara nahIM hOOO.
   vijay se catur ør koi: du:sra: nahĩ: h ́.
   Vijay than clever anyone else neg is
   No one else is more clever than Vijay.

Superlative constructions are also formed by substituting an
adjective of comparison for saba sao AiQak sab se adhik.. It also serves as
the standard of comparison.

4. vah baD,I sao baD,I samasyaa AasanaI sao hla krta hOOO.
   vah bari: se bari: samasya: a:sa:ni: se hal karta: h ́.
   he big-f more big-f problem easy with solve do-ptc is
   He solves the biggest problems easily.


5. hmaaro pasa AcCo sao AcCa kpD,a yahI hOOO.
   hama:re pa:s acche se accha: kapra: yahi: h ́.
   we-obl with good-obl than good cloth this is
   This is the best cloth we have.

Notice that in these constructions, the first part of the phrase is put in
the oblique case as it is followed by sao se.