Understanding the German comparative and superlative of adjectives

Adjectives

Feb 7

The German language is known for its intricate grammar rules, and one aspect that can be both fascinating and challenging for learners is "Adjektivsteigerung," or the process of adjective comparison. This article will explain everything you need to know.

Rules of comparison of adjectives

In German and English, adjectives can change how they look to show different comparison levels. There are three main ways to do this: positive, comparative, and superlative. We will talk about these three forms in a moment. Just to remind you, an adjective is a word that describes what a noun (like an object or a person) is like. Examples of adjectives in German are words like "neu" (new), "schön" (beautiful), "teuer" (expensive), and so on. And don't forget about adjective declension when using German adjectives!

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The positive (der Positiv)

This is the simplest form of an adjective used to describe something independently without comparing it to anything else. It's the first form of an adjective you'll likely learn when you start studying German.

You also use the positive form when you want to say that something is equal to or the same as something else. In English, you typically use phrases like "just like" or "as... as," whereas in German, you use phrases like "so... wie," "genauso... wie," or "ebenso... wie," as you can see in the examples below.

For example:

Das Auto ist neu. → The car is new.

Das neue Auto. → The new car.

Das gelbe Auto ist so schön wie das blaue Auto. → The yellow car is as beautiful as the blue car.

Das gelbe Auto ist genauso schön wie das blaue Auto. → The yellow car is as beautiful as the blue car.

Das gelbe Auto ist ebenso schön wie das blaue Auto. → The yellow car is as beautiful as the blue car.

The comparative (der Komparativ)

As you might already see in the name, you use this form of the adjective if you would like to compare things or people with each other. In German, unlike many other languages, you will never (!) add the word more (mehr) to do so, but add the endings "-er" or "-r" to the adjective just like you do in English: large - lager. Also, to express the “than” in German, you will need to use “als” and not (!) “dann,” which students like to frequently confuse.

For example:

Das blaue Auto ist neuer (als das gelbe Auto). → The blue car is newer (than the yellow car)

Das neuere Auto ist blau. → The newer car is blue.

Remember: In German comparative, add "-er" to the adjective and use "als" for comparison.

The Superlative (der Superlativ)

The superlative is used when you're comparing more than two things or people and want to show the highest degree. To create the superlative in German, you add "-st" or for adjectives ending in -d or -t, you add "-est" to the adjective. You also use "am" to indicate the comparison, similar to how you use "the most" in English. Once again, it's important to note that in German superlative, you never (!) use words like "most"; instead, you indicate this form by adding an ending, just like in the comparative.

For example:

Das Auto ist am schönsten. → The car is the most beautiful.

Das schönste Auto ist grün. → The most beautiful car is green.

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Remember: You indicate the German superlative by adding "-st" or "-est" to the adjective.

Irregular adjectives

Like in English and many other languages, there are some irregular adjectives that you simply need to study by heart. Luckily, their amount is limited, and it applies for “gut” (good), “viel” (much), “gern” (to like), “hoch” (tall, high), and “nah” (close).

Positiv	Komparativ	Superlativ
gut	besser	am besten
viel	mehr	am meisten
gern	lieber	am liebsten
hoch	höher	am höchsten
nah	näher	am nächsten

Exceptions to the rules

I understand you've been eagerly waiting for the exceptions, and here they are! Some German adjectives require special treatment, primarily due to their endings.

1. German adjectives with the ending -d, -t, -s, -ß, -sch, -x, -z

These adjectives get the ending “-esten” in the superlative form.

Positiv	Komparativ	Superlativ
interessant	interessanter	am interessantesten	der interessanteste ...
süß	süßer	am süßesten	die süßeste ...

2. German adjectives with the ending -er & -el

These adjectives lose their “e” in the comparative form.

Positiv	Komparativ	Superlativ
teuer	teurer	am teuersten	der teuerste ...
dunkel	dunkler	am dunkelsten	die dunkelste ...

3. German adjectives with Umlaut

Certain adjectives change their form by adding an Umlaut (those two little dots above certain vowels) in comparative and superlative forms. Usually, those with an “a” become “ä,” those with an “u” become “ü,” and those with an “o” become “ö”. A general guideline to remember is that it's usually the same adjectives that don't get "more" and "most" in English.

Positiv	Komparativ	Superlativ
warm	wärmer	am wärmsten	der wärmste ...
groß	größer	am größten	die größte ...

Also: jung, alt, hart, klug, kalt, kurz, lang, scharf, schwach, warm

Summery of the German comparative and superlative

	Positive	Comparative	Superlative
normal adjective	billig	billiger	am billigsten / der billigste
ending -d & -t	nett	netter	am nettesten / der netteste
ending -s, -ß, -sch, -x, -z	süß	süßer	am süßesten / die süßeste
ending -er	teuer	teurer	am teuersten / der teuerste
ending -el	dunkel	dunkler	am dunkelsten / der dunkelste
adjectives with Umlaut	warm	wärmer	am wärmsten / der wärmste
special adjectives	gut	besser	am besten / das beste

Conclusion

Understanding adjective comparison in German is essential for mastering the language, as it allows you to express comparisons and describe things in varying degrees. While the basic rules are relatively straightforward, the exceptions can pose challenges for learners. To become proficient in using adjectives in German, practice and familiarity with these rules and exceptions are key.