📊 Komparativ und Superlativ – Comparatives & Superlatives
To compare things in German, you use the comparative (more/bigger) and the superlative (the most/the biggest). Fortunately, the pattern is very regular — much more so than in English!
📐 Forming the Comparative
Add -er to the adjective: schnell → schneller (fast → faster). Many one-syllable adjectives also add an umlaut.
| Adjective | Comparative | English |
|---|---|---|
| groß (big) | größer | bigger |
| klein (small) | kleiner | smaller |
| schnell (fast) | schneller | faster |
| alt (old) | älter | older |
| jung (young) | jünger | younger |
| kalt (cold) | kälter | colder |
| warm (warm) | wärmer | warmer |
| lang (long) | länger | longer |
Berlin ist größer als München.Berlin is bigger than Munich.
Mein Auto ist schneller als deins.My car is faster than yours.
🏆 Forming the Superlative
Use am + adjective + -sten (predicative) or der/die/das + adjective + -ste (attributive).
| Adjective | Superlative (am…) | English |
|---|---|---|
| groß | am größten | the biggest |
| schnell | am schnellsten | the fastest |
| alt | am ältesten | the oldest |
| jung | am jüngsten | the youngest |
| gut (good) | am besten | the best (irregular) |
| viel (much/many) | am meisten | the most (irregular) |
| gern (gladly) | am liebsten | most of all (irregular) |
Irregular Forms
The three most important irregular forms are: gut → besser → am besten, viel → mehr → am meisten, gern → lieber → am liebsten. Learn these by heart!
Dieser Kuchen schmeckt am besten.This cake tastes the best.
✏️ Übungen
1. Make a comparative: kalt → kälter
2. "The oldest student" → der älteste Student
3. What is the superlative of gut? am besten
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