Language/German/Grammar/Comparative-and-Superlative-Forms

German Grammar → Adjectives → Comparative and Superlative Forms

Adjectives are important elements in German grammar. They are used to describe people, objects, and situations. In this lesson, you will learn how to form comparative and superlative forms of adjectives and use them in sentences.

Don't hesitate to look into these other pages after completing this lesson: Nouns & How to Use Be.

Comparative Form

The comparative form is used to compare two things. In English, it is often formed by adding "-er" to the end of the adjective (e.g. "taller", "smarter"). In German, the comparative form is generally formed by adding "-er" or "mehr" before the adjective.

Here are some examples:

German	Pronunciation	English
alt	alt	old
älter	ˈɛltɐ	older
klug	kluːk	clever
klüger	ˈklyːɡɐ	cleverer
schön	ʃøːn	beautiful
schöner	ˈʃøːnɐ	more beautiful

As you can see in the table, some adjectives add "-er" at the end to form the comparative, while others use "mehr" before the adjective.

Superlative Form

The superlative form is used to describe something that is the most of its kind. In English, it is often formed by adding "-est" to the end of the adjective (e.g. "tallest", "smartest"). In German, the superlative form is generally formed by adding "-st" or "am meisten" before the adjective.

Here are some examples:

German	Pronunciation	English
alt	alt	old
am ältesten	am ˈɛltəstən	oldest
klug	kluːk	clever
am klügsten	am ˈklyːkstən	cleverest
schön	ʃøːn	beautiful
am schönsten	am ˈʃøːnstən	most beautiful

As you can see in the table, some adjectives add "-st" at the end to form the superlative, while others use "am meisten" before the adjective.

Irregular Adjectives

As with many aspects of German grammar, there are some irregular adjectives that do not follow the rules mentioned above. Here are some examples:

German	Pronunciation	English
gut	ɡuːt	good
besser	ˈbɛsɐ	better
am besten	am ˈbɛstən	best
viel	fiːl	much
mehr	meːɐ	more
am meisten	am ˈmeːstn̩	most

As you can see in the table, "gut" becomes "besser" in the comparative form and "am besten" in the superlative form. "Viel" becomes "mehr" in the comparative form and "am meisten" in the superlative form.

Usage

The comparative and superlative forms are used to make comparisons in sentences. Here are some examples:

• Meine Katze ist älter als deine. (My cat is older than yours.)
• Der Hund ist klüger als die Katze. (The dog is cleverer than the cat.)
• Das Haus ist schöner als das andere Haus. (The house is more beautiful than the other house.)

In these examples, the comparative form of the adjective is used to make a comparison between two things.

Here are some examples of the superlative form:

• Er ist der älteste Mann im Dorf. (He is the oldest man in the village.)
• Sie ist die klügste Person, die ich kenne. (She is the cleverest person I know.)
• Das ist das schönste Kleid, das ich je gesehen habe. (That is the most beautiful dress I have ever seen.)

In these examples, the superlative form of the adjective is used to describe something as the best or most of its kind.

Conclusion

In this lesson, you learned how to form comparative and superlative forms of adjectives and use them in sentences. Remember to pay attention to irregular adjectives and their forms. Keep practicing and using these forms in your own sentences to improve your German language skills.

Sources

• Follow This Formula to Use German Comparatives and Superlatives ...
• Adjectives in German Grammar
• German Superlative and Comparative - German with language-easy ...

• Comparative

Now that you've completed this lesson, don't stop learning! Check out these related topics: Objects & Pronouns in German.

Table of Contents - German Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Basic Sentence Structures

• Subject and Verb
• Noun and Gender

  ---

Greetings and Introduction

• Greetings and Goodbyes
• Introducing Yourself

  ---

Definite and Indefinite Articles

• Gender and Articles
• Plural Forms
• Cases: Nominative and Accusative

  ---

Numbers, Dates and Time

• Numbers 1-100
• Days of the Week and Months
• Telling Time

  ---

Verbs and Conjugation

• Verb Forms
• Present Tense
• Separable Verbs

  ---

Family and Friends

• Family Members
• Talking About Your Friends

  ---

Prepositions

• Using Prepositions
• Two-Way Prepositions

  ---

Food and Drinks

• Food and Meals
• Drinks and Beverages

  ---

Germany and German-Speaking Countries

• Geography and Landmarks
• Cuisine and Traditions

  ---

Pronouns and Possessives

• Personal Pronouns
• Possessive Pronouns

  ---

Travel and Transportation

• Booking a Trip
• Public Transportation

  ---

Modal Verbs

• Expressing Abilities
• Talking About Obligations

  ---

Shopping and Clothes

• Shopping for Clothes
• Buying Groceries

  ---

Music and Entertainment

• Popular Musicians and Genres
• Movies, TV and Literature

  ---

Adjectives

• Descriptive Adjectives
• Comparative and Superlative Forms

  ---

Health and Body

• Talking About Health
• Body Parts

  ---

Time and Temporal Prepositions

• Using Time Expressions
• Temporal Prepositions

Other Lessons

• Cases
• Expressing Abilities
• Declension
• Imperative Tense
• How to Use Be
• Possessive Case in German
• Pronouns in German
• Adjectives
• Be Polite
• Verb Forms