German Comparatives and Superlatives

German comparatives and superlatives work very similarly to English, but with the usual German attention to grammar rules and endings.

The Core Concept: Comparing Things

• Comparative: Used to compare two things (bigger, faster, more interesting).

• Superlative: Used to state the highest degree of something (the biggest, the fastest, the most interesting).

1. Regular Formation

For most adjectives, the pattern is straightforward.

Comparative

Formula: Adjective + -er

• schnell (fast) → schneller (faster)

• alt (old) → älter (older)

• langsam (slow) → langsamer (slower)

Superlative

Formula: am + Adjective + -sten

• schnell → am schnellsten (the fastest)

• alt → am ältesten (the oldest)

• langsam → am langsamsten (the slowest)

Examples in Sentences:

• Mein Auto ist schnell.
  (My car is fast.)

• Dein Auto ist schneller.
  (Your car is faster.)

• Sein Auto ist am schnellsten.
  (His car is the fastest.)

2. Key Spelling Changes (Umlauts and More)

Many one-syllable adjectives with the vowels a, o, or u add an umlaut in the comparative and superlative. This is a very common pattern.

Important Exceptions: Some common one-syllable adjectives do not get an umlaut:

• klar (clear) → klarer, am klarsten

• flach (flat) → flacher, am flachsten

• schlank (slim) → schlanker, am schlanksten

• rasch (quick) → rascher, am raschesten

3. Irregular Forms

The most common adjectives are often irregular, just like in English (good → better → best).

Examples:

• Deutsch ist gut, aber Spanisch ist besser. Englisch ist am besten.
  (German is good, but Spanish is better. English is the best.)

• Ich trinke gern Kaffee, aber Tee trinke ich lieber. Am liebsten trinke ich Wasser.
  (I like to drink coffee, but I prefer tea. I like to drink water most of all.)

4. Using Comparatives and Superlatives in Sentences

Comparative with "than"

The word for "than" is als.

• Berlin ist größer als München.
  (Berlin is bigger than Munich.)

• Sie ist intelligenter als ich.
  (She is more intelligent than I am.)

Superlative with Definite Articles

When the superlative comes before a noun (like "the fastest car"), it is declined like a normal adjective and uses a definite article. You use -ste instead of am ... -sten.

• Das ist der schnellste Zug der Welt.
  (That is the fastest train in the world.)

• Sie ist die beste Schülerin.
  (She is the best student.)

• Er hat das interessanteste Buch.
  (He has the most interesting book.)

Compare:

• Dieser Zug ist am schnellsten. (This train is the fastest.) - Predicate use.

• Dies ist der schnellste Zug. (This is the fastest train.) - Attributive use (before noun).

5. Comparisons of Equality

To say something is "as [adjective] as" something else, you use:
so ... wie OR genauso ... wie

• Er ist so groß wie ich.
  (He is as tall as I am.)

• Dein Auto ist genauso schnell wie meins.
  (Your car is just as fast as mine.)

Practice Examples

1. Convert the adjective: teuer (expensive)

   • Comparative: teurer

   • Superlative: am teuersten

2. Fill in the blank: "Dieses Hotel ist ______ (schön) als das andere."

   • schöner

3. Fill in the blank: "Das ist ______ (gut) Restaurant in der Stadt."

   • das beste (superlative before a noun)

4. Translate: "My brother is older than me."

   • Mein Bruder ist älter als ich.

Summary Cheat Sheet

Add -er to compare, and use am ... -sten to be the best. Watch out for umlauts on common one-syllable words, and memorize the big three irregulars: gut, viel, and gern.