Steigerung der Adjektive Theorie

learning target

Aim of this topic is to express that something is better / faster / more beautiful .... than something else and to express that something is the best / fastest / most beautiful ...

German Tom ist schneller als Nelson. Cathy ist hbscher als ihre Freundin. Dieses Hotel ist am teuersten.

English Tom is faster than Nelson. Cathy is more beautiful than her friend. This hotel is most expensiv.

rules

comparison of regular adjectives positive adjective comparative adjective + er superlative (am) + adjective + st

examples: German positive schnell neu langsam comparative schneller neuer langsamer superlative am schnellsten am neusten am langsamsten positive fast new slow English comparative faster newer slower superlative fastest newest slowest

1.) Adjectives which end with "t", "d", "s", "ss", "", "x" or "z" require an additional "e" before the "st" in the superlative degree.

German positive leicht verrckt nett comparative leichter verrckter netter superlative am leichtesten am verrcktesten am nettesten positive easy crazy nice

English comparative easier crazier nicer superlative esiest craziest nicest

Thomas Hfler 2005 2009

Steigerung der Adjektive Theorie

2.) There is no "more or "most" for multi-syllable abjectives like in English.

German positive bunt bequem langweilig comparative bunter bequemer langweiliger superlative am buntesten am bequemsten am langweiligsten positive colourful comfortable boring

English comparative more colourful more comfortable more boring superlative most colourful most comfortable most boring

comparison of irregular adjectives There are a few adjectives which don't follow any rule. They have to be learnt by heart. German positive bald gern gro gut hoch nah viel comparative eher lieber grer besser hher nher mehr superlative am ehesten am liebsten am grten am besten am hchsten am nchsten am meisten positive soon gladly big good high near much English comparative sooner more gladly bigger better higher nearer more superlative soonest most gladly biggest best highest nearest most

Besides the irregular adjectives there are adjectives which change not the whole word but a vowel. Almost all one-syllable adjectives which contain an "a", "o" ur "u" change the "umlaut". German positive alt arm dumm hart jung kalt klug kurz lang oft stark warm comparative lter rmer dmmer hrter jnger klter klger krzer lnger fter strker wrmer superlative am ltesten am rmsten am dmmsten am hrtesten am jngsten am kltesten am klgsten am krzesten am lngsten am ftesten am strksten am wrmsten positive old poor stupid hard young cold celver short longer often strong warm English comparative older poorer dumber harder younger colder more clever shorter longer more often stronger warmer superlative oldest poorest dumbest hardest youngest coldest most clever shortest longest most often strongest warmest 2

Thomas Hfler 2005 2009

Steigerung der Adjektive Theorie

adjective endings For the adjectives in the comparative degree and the superlative degree you have to use the same rules which you learnt already for the simple adjectives. Just add the ending after the "er" or "st". A hint Such an ending you find already in all superlative examples above: am meisten, am schnellsten ... That means if you want to use the superlative in a sentence where you don't use "am" then cancel "en" and add the correct ending for this case. examples:

Sie ist die klgste Studentin. (She is the most clever student.) Sie ist am klgsten. (She is most clever.)

How do you compare? Finally, I want you to give the little words you need to compare two things. German equality inequality ... so ... wie.. ... als... English ... as... as... ... than...

examples for inequality:

Sie ist strker als er. (She is stronger than him.) Sie ist lter als er. (She is older than him.)

examples for equality:

Sie ist so stark wie er. (She is as strong as him.) Sie ist so alt wie er. (She is as old as him.)

Thomas Hfler 2005 2009