ILGUR: Italian Language, Grammar and Usage Resource

The relative superlative in English is the fastest, the shortest, the tallest. In Italian, the relative superlative is formed with:

definite article + più/meno + adjective

• When the relative superlative is used with a noun, the construction varies depending upon whether the adjective precedes or follows the noun:

  la più piccola macchina
  the smallest car

  l’uomo meno forte
  the least strongest man

• In Italian, the preposition di + qualifier can follow a superlative construction, whereas in English it would be followed by in, on, at, and sometimes of. The preposition, di, is articulated when it is combined with the definite article of the qualifying noun:

  Sono gli studenti più intelligenti della classe.
  They are the smartest students in the class.
  
  È la meno attiva della squadra.
  She is the least active on the team.

  Ha trovato la macchina più economica di tutte.
  He found the cheapest car of all.

SEE ALSO: Comparisons/Comparitivi (as tall as, as funny as; longer, shorter, etc.)

In Italian, the following words are used to express comparisons:

• (cosi)…come
  as…as

• (tanto)…quanto
  as…as; as much…as

• più…di (che)
  more….than; -er….than

• meno…di (che)
  less…than

There are two kinds of comparisons:

1. Comparison of equality, which translates as: as [adjective] as with adjectives, as much as with verbs

   Disjunctive or tonic pronouns or nouns follow come or quanto.

   Come or quanto is used with adjectives, while quanto only is used with verbs. Tanto and così are usually omitted:

   Roberto è (così) basso come Angela.
   Robert is as short as Angela.

   Roberto canta (tanto) quanto Angela.
   Robert sings as much as Angela (does).

   Robert legge (tanto) quanto me.
   Robert reads as much as me.

2. Comparison of inequality, which translate as: more than or less than

   With the comparison of inequality, che or di can be used:

• Che (than) is used when comparing two of the same construction or part of speech. REMEMBER that the two parts of speech on either side of the che must be the same (two nouns, two adjectives, two infinitives, etc.)

  I compiti sono più semplici che difficili.
  The homework is simpler than difficult.

  È più difficle nuotare che correre?
  Is it more difficult to swim or to run?
  
  È più facile giocare a tennis che a golf.
  It is easier to play tennis than golf.

  Il tempo fa meno freddo che umido.
  The weather is less cold than humid.

  Durante l’inverno, ho meno raffreddori che febbri.
  During the winter I have less colds than fevers.

  Notice that più before the adjective changes its meaning:

  forte = strong
  più forte = stronger

  intelligente = intelligent
  più intelligente = more intelligente

• Di is used when comparing a particular quality shared by two nouns:

  Giacomo è più forte di Alfonso.
  Giacomo is stronger than Alfonso.

  In Italia i treni sono meno cari degli aerei.
  In Italy the trains are less expensive than planes.

  Lei è più alta di lui.
  She is taller than him.

• Not sure when to use di or che with comparisons of inequality(than)? Follow these guidelines:

1. Are you comparing two of the same part of speech (two adjectives, two nouns, two infinitives, etc.) against a particular noun or pronoun, then you use che (Notice how you are comparing two qualities of something):

   Il centro commerciale è più affollato che svuoto.
   The mall is more crowded than empty.

   Giovanna ha più libri che CD.
   Jane has more books than CD’s.
   
   

2. Are you comparing two nouns or pronouns against a particular quality? Use di. (Notice how you are comparing the hotels and not the quality of the hotels!)

   Gli alberghi a Roma sono più cari degli albergi a Nettuno.
   The hotels in Rome are more expensive than the ones in Nettuno.

3. Are you using numbers in your comparison? Use più di + number or meno di + number.

SEE ALSO: Relative Superlative/Superlativi relativi (the highest, the strongest, the lowest, etc.)

The word, santo, means saint in Italian and can be used as a noun or an adjective. As an adjective, it follows a certain set of rules when used with proper names. See below:

1. Santo is used before saint names beginning with an s + consonant:

   Santo Stefano

2. Santo becomes San before masculine saints beginning with a consonant:

   San Lorenzo
   San Pietro
   San Paolo
   San Severo

3. Santo becomes Santa before feminine saints beginning with a consonant:

   Santa Francesca
   Santa Teresa

4. Santo becomes Sant’ before masculine and feminine saints beginning with a vowel:

   Sant’Antonio
   Sant’Anastasia
   Sant’Elia
   Sant’Ignazio

For a list of Saints in Italian, check out this Wikipedia article.