Comparison of Adjectives and Adverbs By: Jonathan Cooley
Regular Comparison To form the comparative for most adjectives or adverbs in German you simply add –er. To form the superlative for most adjectives or adverbs in German you simply add –sten.
Regular Comparison schnell/ schneller/ am schnellsten langsam/ langsamer/ am langsamsten laut/ lauter/ am lautesten leise/ leiser/ am leisesten bunt/ bunter/ am buntesten klein/ kleiner/ am kleinsten
Irregular Comparison An irregularity that affects both the comparative and superlative most one-syllable adjectives/adverbs is the Umlaut ( ¨ ) a ä alt/ älter/ am ältesten o ö hoch/ höher/ am höchsten u ü klug/ klüger/ am klügsten
Irregular Examples English good /better/ best Deutsch gut/ besser/ am besten English cold/colder/coldest Deutsch kalt/ kälter/ am kältesten English strong/ stronger/ strongest Deutsch stark/ stärker / am stärksten
A Simple Chart Below is a chart showing the difference between positive, comparison and superlative forms. Positive Comparison Superlative bald (soon) eher (sooner) am ehesten (soonest) dumm (dumb) dümmer (dumber) am dümmsten (dumbest) gut (good) besser (better) am besten (best) groß (big) größer (bigger) am größten (biggest) viel (much) mehr (more) am meisten (most)