Comparison For Intermediate learners
What is Comparison?
Comparison is a grammatical system for comparing different qualities between two or more things. A good instance is when we say: "something is better than something" or "something is the best." The base form of an adjective is called the positive and is not used for comparison. The adjective can take a comparative or superlative form.
Different Levels of Comparison
Adjectives change their form to show different degrees of comparison. These levels of comparison are:
Comparative (Komparativ)
Superlative (Superlativ)
Comparative
You need to use the comparative form of an adjective in order to compare two things or people. In order to form the comparative, you often need to add -er to the end of the adjective. In the comparative form, the adjective is usually followed by the word "als" that is the German equivalent for "than."
schnell (fast) → schneller (faster)
Mein Auto ist schneller als deins.
My car is faster than yours.
langsam (slow) → langsamer (slower)
Der Zug ist langsamer als das Flugzeug.
The train is slower than the airplane.
Irregular Comparative Forms
Many common one-syllable adjectives get an umlaut (ä, ö, ü) in their comparative and superlative form.
alt → älter | old → older
groß → größer | big → bigger
kalt → kälter | cold → colder
Some adjectives have irregular comparative forms.
gut (good) → besser (better)
Dieser Film ist besser.
This movie is better.
hoch (high) → höher (higher)
Der Mount Everest ist höher als der Mount Fuji.
Mount Everest is higher than Mount Fuji.
viel (much) → mehr (more)
Du hast mehr Zeit.
You have more time.
Superlative
The superlative form is used in order to say that something is the best, worst, biggest, tallest, smallest, etc. within a group. In order to form the superlative stem for most adjectives, first you need to add -st to the end of the adjective. After getting -st, the adjective must also get grammatical endings. The grammatical ending depends on the type of the adjective.
schnell (fast) → schnellst- (the fastest)
Das ist der schnellste Zug der Welt.
That is the fastest train in the world.
teuer (expensive) → teuerst (the most expensive)
Das ist das teuerste Auto im Showroom.
That is the most expensive car in the showroom.
If the adjective ends in -d, -t, -s, -sch, -ß, -z, add -est to the end of it.
wild (wild) → wildest- (the wildest)
Der Film zeigte die wildesten Tiere Afrikas.
The film showed the wildest animals of Africa.
süß (sweet) → süßest- (the sweetest)
Er gab mir die süßeste Erdbeere aus der Schale.
He gave me the sweetest strawberry from the bowl.
If the adjective ends in -el, the -e- is often dropped when forming the superlative.
Dunkel (dark)
der dunklste Raum
the darkest room
dunkl- + -st = dunklst-
Edel (noble)
der edlste Mensch
the most noble person
edl- + -st = edlst-
Irregular Superlatives
Some adjectives have irregular superlative forms, and they don't follow the standard rules.
gut (good) → am besten (the best)
Sein Auto ist am besten.
His car is the best.
viel (much) → am meisten (the most)
Er hat am moisten Zeit.
He has the most time.
Attributive Adjectives
The attributive adjective gets its own special ending that is added to the -er or -st.
Comparative: [Adjective Stem] + -er + [Declension Ending]
Superlative: [Adjective Stem] + -st + [Declension Ending]
Das ist der schnellste Zug der Welt.
That is the fastest train in the world.
Er kaufte den teuersten Computer.
He bought the most expensive computer.
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