Language/Danish/Grammar/Comparatives-and-Superlatives
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Welcome to the lesson on Comparatives and Superlatives in Danish! Understanding how to compare things is essential for effective communication, whether you’re describing the weather, food, or even your friends. In this lesson, we will explore how to form comparatives and superlatives in Danish, along with some common irregular forms that you might encounter.
This lesson is a part of our larger course titled Complete 0 to A1 Danish Course, aimed at helping you progress from a complete beginner to an A1 level speaker. By the end of this lesson, you should feel comfortable using comparatives and superlatives in your conversations.
Before we dive into the details, let’s outline what you can expect in this lesson:
1. Introduction to Comparatives and Superlatives
2. Forming Comparatives
3. Forming Superlatives
4. Irregular Comparatives and Superlatives
5. Examples
6. Exercises for Practice
7. Solutions and Explanations
Introduction to Comparatives and Superlatives
Comparatives and superlatives are essential parts of the Danish language that allow us to compare two or more things. In English, you might say "This car is faster than that one" (comparative) and "This is the fastest car" (superlative). Danish works similarly, but with some unique rules!
In Danish, comparatives typically involve adding a suffix to the adjective, while superlatives require a different approach. Understanding these forms will help you express differences and extremes effectively.
Forming Comparatives
To form a comparative in Danish, you usually add the suffix -ere to the adjective. Here’s how it works:
1. If the adjective ends in a vowel, you simply add -re.
2. If the adjective ends in a consonant, you add -ere.
3. For adjectives with more than two syllables, you typically use mere (meaning "more") before the adjective.
Here are some examples:
| Danish | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| storere | ˈstoːʁəʁ | bigger |
| højere | ˈhɔjəʁ | taller |
| hurtigere | ˈhuʁtiːɡəʁ | faster |
| mere interessant | ˈmiːʁə ɪntəʁɛˈsɑnt | more interesting |
| mere kompliceret | ˈmiːʁə kɔmpliˈseːʁeð | more complicated |
Forming Superlatives
Superlatives in Danish are typically formed by adding the suffix -est to the adjective. However, there are a few different rules to keep in mind:
1. For shorter adjectives, you will often add -est.
2. For longer adjectives, you will use den mest (meaning "the most") before the adjective.
Here are some examples:
| Danish | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| den største | dɛn ˈstœʁstə | the biggest |
| den højeste | dɛn ˈhøːjəstə | the tallest |
| den hurtigste | dɛn ˈhuʁtiːstə | the fastest |
| den mest interessante | dɛn ˈmeːst ɪntəʁɛˈsɑndə | the most interesting |
| den mest komplicerede | dɛn ˈmeːst kɔmpliˈseːʁəd | the most complicated |
Irregular Comparatives and Superlatives
Just like in English, some adjectives in Danish have irregular forms when used as comparatives and superlatives. These forms do not follow the standard rules mentioned earlier. Here are some of the most common irregular adjectives:
| Danish | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| god | ɡɔð | good |
| bedre | ˈbeðʁə | better |
| bedst | ˈbeðst | best |
| dårlig | ˈdɔʁli | bad |
| værre | ˈvæʁə | worse |
| værst | ˈvæʁst | worst |
Examples
Let’s take a look at some more examples to reinforce what we’ve learned:
1. Comparatives:
- Danish: Dette hus er større end det gamle.
- Pronunciation: ˈdɛtə huːs æʁ ˈstoːʁə ɛn dɛt ˈɡɑlmə.
- English: This house is bigger than the old one.
2. Superlatives:
- Danish: Hun er den hurtigste i klassen.
- Pronunciation: hun æʁ dɛn ˈhuʁtiːstə i ˈklæsn̩.
- English: She is the fastest in the class.
3. Irregular:
- Danish: Det er en god film, men den er bedre end den anden.
- Pronunciation: dɛt æʁ en ɡɔð film, men dɛn æʁ ˈbeðʁə ɛn dɛn ˈænðən.
- English: It is a good film, but it is better than the other one.
We can create a few more examples in the same way, but let’s move on to practice what we’ve learned!
Exercises for Practice
Now it's your turn! Below are some exercises to help you apply the concepts we've covered.
1. Fill in the blanks with the correct comparative form of the adjective in parentheses:
- Min bil er __________ (hurtig) end din.
- Denne bog er __________ (interessant) end den anden.
2. Transform the following sentences into superlatives:
- Dette hus er stort.
- Denne film er god.
3. Match the adjective with its irregular comparison:
1. god
2. dårlig
3. lille
A. værre
B. bedre
C. mindre
4. Translate the following sentences into Danish:
- He is taller than his friend.
- This car is the fastest.
5. Choose the correct comparative form:
- Hun er (mere smuk / smukkere) end sin søster.
- Denne restaurant er (bedre / mest god) end den anden.
6. Write three sentences using superlatives.
7. Identify the adjectives and categorize them into regular and irregular forms:
- Den sødeste kat.
- Det er den bedste bog.
8. Create sentences using the following adjectives in both comparative and superlative forms:
- lille
- gammel
9. Write a short paragraph describing your favorite place using at least three comparatives and two superlatives.
10. Correct the sentences if necessary:
- Jeg er mere gladest end ham.
- Denne is er bedre end den.
Solutions and Explanations
Let’s check your answers and discuss them in detail!
1.
- Min bil er hurtigere end din.
- Denne bog er mere interessant end den anden.
2.
- Dette hus er det største.
- Denne film er den bedste.
3.
- 1 - B (bedre)
- 2 - A (værre)
- 3 - C (mindre)
4.
- Han er højere end sin ven.
- Denne bil er den hurtigste.
5.
- Hun er smukkere end sin søster.
- Denne restaurant er bedre end den anden.
6.
- (Answers will vary; examples: “Min hund er den sødeste. Dette er den højeste bygning.”)
7.
- Regular: sødeste
- Irregular: bedste
8.
- Lille: lille → mindre → mindst
- Gammel: gammel → ældrer → ældst
9.
- (Answers will vary; students should use their own words.)
10.
- Jeg er mere glad end ham.
- Denne is er bedre end den.
Feel free to review your answers and practice more if needed. The more you practice, the more confident you will become in using comparatives and superlatives in Danish!
Sources
Other Lessons
- Verbs (Present Tense)
- Danish Alphabet
- Adjectives
- The Genitive Case in Danish
- Verbs (Past Tense)
- Cardinal Numbers in Danish
- Regular Verbs
- How to use “be” with adjectives in Danish
- 0 to A1 Course
- Adjective Forms and Agreement
| ◀️ Adjective Forms and Agreement — Previous Lesson | Next Lesson — Adverbs ▶️ |