Farsi has absorbed many words from Arabic, particularly in formal, legal, and academic contexts. One of the most useful borrowings is a specific word pattern used to express inherent comparatives and superlatives.
The Arabic Superlative Pattern
In Arabic grammar, the af'al (افعل) pattern creates adjectives that mean "the most" or "more" of a quality. Farsi uses many of these imported words as inherent superlatives.
When you see words like اهم (most important) or اصلح (most qualified), the superlative meaning is built directly into the word's structure. You do not need to add the standard Farsi superlative suffix ـترین to them.
Let's look at a typical academic scenario involving transcripts (کارنامه) and an evaluator (ارزیاب).
| The evaluator reviewed the student's transcript. | ارزیاب کارنامهی دانشجو را بررسی کرد.arzyâb kârnâme-ye dâneshju râ barresi kard. |
Notice how the af'al adjectives are used below to describe the most important criteria and the best applicants:
| The most important duty of the evaluator is to choose the most qualified applicant. | اهم وظیفهی ارزیاب این است که متقاضی اصلح را انتخاب کند.aham vazife-ye arzyâb in ast ke motaqâzi aslah râ entekhâb konad. |
Quantities: Most and Least
This pattern frequently describes quantities, such as the majority or the bare minimum. Words like اکثر (most/majority) and اقل (least/minimum) follow this rule and are heavily used in formal Farsi.
| Most candidates have a high grade point average. | اکثر داوطلبان معدل بالا دارند.aksar dâvtalabân mo'addel-e bâlâ dârand |
| The minimum score for this master's degree program is eighteen. | اقل نمره برای این رشتهی مقطع ارشد، هجده است.aqall nomre barâye in reshte-ye maqta'-e arshad, hejdah ast. |
Excellence and Grandeur
When describing degrees of greatness, excellence, or rank—like evaluating a dissertation (رساله)—words like اعظم (greatest), اعلی (highest/supreme), and احسن (most excellent) elevate the register of your Farsi to a formal, academic level.
| He wrote the greatest part of his dissertation in the library. | او بخش اعظم رسالهی خود را در کتابخانه نوشت.u bakhsh-e a'zam-e resâle-ye khod râ dar ketâbkhâne nevesht. |
| She received the supreme rank, so she is the most excellent of students. | او رتبهی اعلی گرفت، پس احسنِ دانشجویان است.u rotbe-ye a'lâ gereft, pas ahsan-e dâneshjuyân ast. |