To learn how to use the word for "smart" in Russian, let's break it down into two simple parts: comparing smartness and saying who is the smartest.

Comparing Smartness

1. Making Comparisons: When you want to say that someone is smarter than another person, you change "умный" to "умнее."

   • How to Do It: Just add -ее to the basic word if it's short.
   • Examples:
     • Он умнее. (He is smarter.)
     • Она умнее. (She is smarter.)
     • Дети умнее взрослых. (Children are smarter than adults.)

2. Staying the Same: The word "умнее" does not change, whether you’re talking about a boy, a girl, or a group.

Saying Who's the Smartest

1. Showing Who's the Best: If you want to say that someone is the smartest, you use "самый" (which means "the most") and then add "умный."

   • How to Do It: Say "самый" + the base word.
   • Examples:
     • Он самый умный. (He is the smartest.)
     • Она самая умная. (She is the smartest.)
     • Это самые умные люди в классе. (These are the smartest people in the class.)

2. Changing for Gender: The word "умный" changes a bit based on who you’re talking about:

   • For a boy: самый умный
   • For a girl: самая умная
   • For a neutral object: самое умное
   • For a group: самые умные

Important Tips for Using the Words Correctly

Keep these rules in mind to use the words the right way:

• Gender: Match the word to the noun it describes:

  • Use "умный" for boys.
  • Use "умная" for girls.
  • Use "умное" for neutral nouns, like objects.

• Number: Change the word depending on how many nouns there are:

  • One: "умный," "умная," "умное."
  • More than one: "умные."

Practice with Some Examples

Try using these words in sentences:

1. For a girl:

   • Девочка (girl) – она _____ (smart) –
   • Она умная. (She is smart.)

2. For a boy:

   • Мальчик (boy) – он _____ (smart) –
   • Он умный. (He is smart.)

3. For a group of students:

   • Эти студенты (students) – они _____ (smart) –
   • Эти студенты умные. (These students are smart.)

4. For the best answer:

   • Правильный ответ (correct answer) – это _____ (smart) –
   • Это самое умное решение. (This is the smartest solution.)

By practicing these rules, you can easily use "умный" in different ways and make sure it fits well with what you’re talking about!