German grammar · Elementary (A2)
Comparatives and superlatives: größer, am größten
How to compare in German: -er als, so … wie, am -sten, umlauts, and irregular forms like besser and lieber.
Bigger than: -er als
To compare two things, add -er to the adjective and use (than). German never uses a word for “more” with adjectives, even long ones: (more interesting), (more expensive).
Many short adjectives with a, o or u add an umlaut: → , → , → . Adjectives ending in -er or -el drop an e: → , → (darker).
| Adjective | Comparative | English |
|---|---|---|
| cheaper | ||
| faster | ||
| older | ||
| warmer | ||
| shorter | ||
| more expensive |
- Der Zug ist schneller als der Bus.The train is faster than the bus.
- Meine Schwester ist älter als ich.My sister is older than me.
As … as: so … wie
To say two things are equal, use + adjective + : With , it means “not as … as”:
- Er ist so alt wie ich.He's as old as me.
- Der Film ist nicht so gut wie das Buch.The film isn't as good as the book.
The most: am -sten
For “the biggest”, “the cheapest” and so on after a verb, use + adjective + -sten: Adjectives ending in -t, -d, -s, -ß or -z usually add -esten: , . The umlaut of the comparative stays.
Before a noun, the superlative takes the normal adjective endings: , .
- Welche Wohnung ist am billigsten?Which flat is the cheapest?
- Im Juli ist es am wärmsten.It's warmest in July.
- Das ist die schönste Stadt am See.That's the most beautiful town on the lake.
Irregular forms
A few very common words are irregular. (gladly) is useful for preferences:
| Word | Comparative | Superlative |
|---|---|---|
| (good) | ||
| (much, a lot) | ||
| (gladly) | ||
| (big) | ||
| (high) | ||
| (near) |