Most of the peculiarities of the Finnish Adjective have been already noticed. The various rules for its concord with a substantive have been given on p. 128 f., and rules for the cases used after comparatives and superlatives on pp. 136 & 143. With reference, however, to this latter subject, it may be as well to recapitulate the rules.

Comparative. After an adjective in the comparative can be used:—

I. The word kuin, followed by the substantive in the proper case. Oletkos sinÄ suurempi kuin meidÄn isÄmme Abraham? art thou greater than our father Abraham?

II. Or else the word kuin is omitted and the substantive is put in the partitive. The sentence quoted above from the Bible might have been equally well written—Oletkos sinÄ suurempi meidÄn isÄÄmme Abrahamia?

III. Such expressions as ‘it is better to,’ and the like, are rendered by parempi on (or olisi), with the first infinitive. Parempi on nÖyrÄnÄ olla, it is better to be humble.

The superlative can be used either absolutely, or with some word depending on it in such phrases as ‘the greatest of kings’. Such a word is put either in the partitive or in the elative, with very little difference in the meaning. The elative, however, implies reference to a more definite class than the partitive. Suurin kuninkaita is greatest of kings; but suurin kuninkaista, the greatest of the kings.

Not only are adjectives and substantives declined in exactly the same manner, but the distinction between them is very slight. The same form is sometimes used both as a noun and an adjective e.g. lysti, ikÄvÄ, or adjectives are used in cases which seem to imply that they have a substantival meaning; Olla lujassa, to be firm; olla kylmillÄ, to be cold. Some substantives can be compared, as if they were adjectives. Rannempi, nearer shore, mielellÄmmin, more agreeably; so too syrjempi (syrjÄ), talvempana, kevÄÄmpÄnÄ, popular expressions for later in winter or spring. MinÄ jÄtÄn illemmÄksi, I leave it till later in the evening.