74. An adjective may have three degrees, "positive", "comparative" and
"superlative." English has various ways of forming the comparative
and superlative degrees (as by the suffixes "-er, -est," the adverbs
"more, most," and irregular methods as in "good, better, best," etc.).
Esperanto has only one method, using the adverbs "pli", more, and
"plej", most:
POSITIVE. COMPARATIVE. SUPERLATIVE.
--------------- ------------------------ --------------------------
bela, beautiful pli bela, more beautiful plej bela, most beautiful
bona, good pli bona, better plej bona, best
malbona, bad pli malbona, worse plej malbona, worst
sagxa, wise pli sagxa, wiser plej sagxa, wisest
75. The preposition "el" is used with words expressing the group or
class out of which a superlative is selected and mentioned:
Li estas la plej juna el tiuj, he is the youngest of (out of) those.
Vi estas la plej felicxa el ni, you are the happiest of us.
Tiu estis la plej ruza el la viroj,
that one was the craftiest of the men.