_Be careful to note_ that the second term in a comparison is in the nominative or accusative, according as it is the subject or complement, e.g., Mi amas mian fraton pli, ol mia fratino = _I love my brother more than my sister (loves him)_. Mia fratino is in the nominative, amas lin being understood. But Mi amas mian fraton pli, ol mian fratinon = _I love my brother more than my sister_. Here fratinon is in the accusative, and the meaning is perfectly clear. In English we should have to add "does" to the first example to make the phrase clear: "I love my brother more than my sister does" (see par. 105).
(_a_). The superlative of superiority is la plej = _the most_.
(_b_). The superlative of inferiority is la malplej = _the least_.
The preposition el = _out of_, _of_, is used with the superlative when it relates to numbers, or something collective, as a "group," "society," etc. But when the superlative relates to the place or position where the superiority is or was, then some other appropriate preposition is used.
Examples.--_Johano estas la plej forta el la knaboj_ = John is the strongest of the boys. _Petro estis la plej malforta el ĉiuj_ = Peter was the weakest of (out of) all. _Georgo estas la malplej kuraĝa knabo en la domo_ = George is the least courageous boy in the house. _Ŝi estis la plej bela virino, kiun mi iam vidis_ = She was the most beautiful woman whom I ever saw. _Tiuj ĉi estas la plej grandaj arboj en la arbaro_ = These are the largest trees in the wood. _Li estis la plej bona Esperantisto el la grupo_ (_klubo_, _societo_) = He was the best Esperantist of the group (club, society). _Metu la plej grandajn glasojn sur la tablon_ = Put the largest glasses upon the table. _Ne ĵetu la plej grandajn ŝtonojn en la puton, sed la plej malgrandajn_ (_malplej grandajn_) = Do not throw the largest stones into the well, but the smallest (the least large).
(_c_). The superlative absolute is indicated by tre = _very_, or treege = _exceedingly_, or troe = _excessively_, or some other suitable adverb.
Example.--_Tiu virino estas tre malbela kaj treege grasa_ = That woman is very ugly and exceedingly fat.
114. Degrees of intensity of adjectives can also be shown by the aid of the suffixes _-EG-_ and _-ET-_ with or without an adverb. The suffix _-EG-_ is stronger in its application than the adverb tre = _very_. For instance, take the adjective bela = _beautiful_, or _fine_. Tre bela = _very beautiful_, or _very fine_; but belega = _magnificent_, or _superb_. So, the diminutive _-ET-_ shows more diminution than the adjective malgranda = _small_, or _little_, would show when qualifying a noun. For instance, malgranda rivero = _a small river_, but rivereto = _a brook_, or _stream_. The following list shows how twelve adjectives of varying shades of intensity can be formed from the root varm-, between the extremes tre varmega = _broiling hot_ and tre malvarmega = _intensely cold_, supposing we were speaking of the weather:--