In Spanish, comparisons are expressed through adjectives and adverbs and their comparative forms. The forms of increase comparative and superlative is called in Spanish Ccomparative and Superlativo.
Take a look at the explanations «Adjectives Spanish» and «Adverbs Spanish» to deepen your knowledge!
Comparative and superlative in Spanish
The comparative form comparative is the first form of increase. With her one can comparison drawn between two people or objects. The comparative expresses whether something same or unequal is.
The comparative helps you to put two units in relation to each other and with compare at least one common property.
Comparative – Formation & Use
To augment an adjective or adverb, the auxiliary word becomes more prefixed. In contrast, presses menos from that a state weaker is as the corresponding comparison object. In both cases, the adjective is followed by a que set to make it clear with whom or what something is to be compared.
subject + verb + more + adjective + que + object
subject + verb + menos + adjective + que + object
The comparative is formed differently in Spanish than in German. Instead of changing the adjective, in Spanish grammar you increase it by using additional parts of the word.
comparative de Superioridad – Comparisons of inequalities
The so-called comparative de Superioridad corresponds to the German comparative. You can with him differences formulate between comparison objects. The comparative de Superioridad will with the words más … que educated. This form of the increase can be translated into German with «-er than» (e.g. «greater than).
Esta lasana esta more rica que la mia. (This lasagna is tastier than mine.)
Un gorro es more moderno que un cinta. (A beanie is more modern than a headband.)
Comparative de inferiority
In Spanish grammar there is another comparative form, the Comparativo de Inferioridad. This does not exist in German grammar. He will use the auxiliary word menos … que educated and has the weakening of a trait as a result. So the adjective is not increased, instead its intensity is reduced. This comparative form is formed in a similar way to the Comparativo de Superioridad:
El padre es menos alto que su hijo.
(The father is shorter than his son. / The father is «less tall» than his son.)
El lago es menos popular que la piscina para nadar.
(The lake is less popular for swimming than the pool.)
Comparative – Comparisons of equalities
With the Spanish comparative form can also equals be expressed, e.g. B. that people or things are identical in one property. For this you need the construction tan… como. In German, this can be translated as «just like». The sentence order for comparisons of equality is as follows:
subject + verb + tan + adjective + como + object
Ana it tan fuerte como so hija. (Ana is just as strong as her sister.)
Peculiarities of the comparative form of comparison
In Spanish grammar, there are some adjectives that take the place of que with the word a be used for a comparison. These include e.g. B. the following comparative forms:
inferior a (less/smaller/lower than …)
superior a (more/larger/higher than …)
anterior a (older than/before …)
posterior a (later than/after/after …)
La pintura it anterior a mi fecha de nacimiento.
(The painting was created before I was born.)
We cumpleaños it posterior al tuyo.
(My birthday is later than yours.)
Superlative in Spanish – Explanation
The Superlativo, the Spanish superlative, is another form of increase. This is the second or. highest form of increase in Spanish grammar. In doing so, a person or an object is several compared to people or things. With the superlative, the highest possible level of a property particularly emphasized.
Superlative in Spanish – Formation & Use
In Spanish, a distinction is made between two superlatives: dem Superlative Absolute, the absolute superlative, and the Ssuperlativo relativothe relative superlative.
Relative superlative
The superlative relativo expresses that something or someone compared to something else the highest shape of a feature assumes You form the superlative with the Spanish auxiliary words lo/la más or. lo/la menos. Whether the definite article la or lo needed to form the relative superlative depends on the gender of the noun. A Spanish sentence with the superlative form is formed as follows:
subject + verb + lo/la + más/menos + adjective + en + object
Toby it lo ma’s bajo en la clase.
(Tobi is the smallest of the class. / Literally: Tobi is the «smallest» of the class.)
La tortuga it la mas lenta del zoo.
(The turtle is the slowest one out of the zoo. / Literally: The turtle is «the slowest» from the zoo.)
Absolute superlative with the Spanish ending -ísimo/-a/-os/-as
To the absolute superlative, the Superlativo Absoluto, (also elative called) to form, the ending becomes -ísimo/-a/-os/-as attached to the adjective. The ending of the absolute superlative depends on the gender (male/female) and the number (singular/plural) of the noun. This comparative form does not exist in this form in the German language, but it can be written with «especially» or «extraordinary» translate.
Antes de mi presentacion estoy nerviosísimo.
(I’m particularly nervous before my presentation.)
Absolute superlative with muy
The absolute superlative or elative is used with the superlative word muy formed what as much as «very» means. For this form of the absolute superlative muy before the adjective placed. The superlative reinforces the mentioned property in a very special way.
La película es muy emotional. (The film is very exciting.)
Antes de mi presentacion estoy muy nervous. (I’m very nervous before my presentation.)
Superlative Spanish – Rules for comparisons and comparisons with adverbs
When comparing with adverbs, the sentence order is the same as with adjectives:
subject + verb + más/menos + adverb + que + object
Elena duerme menos tranquilamente que so hermano.
(Elena sleeps more restlessly than her brother. / Literally: Elena sleeps «less peacefully» than her brother.)
carmen lee more atentaments que hey amiga.
(Carmen reads more attentively than her friend. / Literally: Carmen reads «more attentive» than her friend.)
To delve deeper into the topic, take a look at the explanation «Adverbs in Spanish»!
Superlative Spanish – Exceptions when using the comparative forms
There are also some exceptions to the comparative and superlative. Some irregular forms of the comparative and the superlative can be found in the following tables.
Irregular comparative forms
There are irregular comparative forms in Spanish. You can find some of them here:
Basic formcomparativeGerman comparativebueno/bienmejorbettermalo/malpeorschlechterviejomayoreldergrandegreater (age)jovenmenorjüngerpequeño smaller (age)altosuperior/más altohigher, larger bajoinferior/más bajolower, smaller
Irregular comparative forms of the superlative
There are also exceptions in the comparative forms of the superlative:
Basic formSuperlativeGerman superlativericoriquísimoam richestpobrepaupérrimo / pobrísimoam ärmstenlargo
larguísimo
the longestantiguoantiquísimo the oldestfuertefortísimothe strongest
The adjectives poco and mucho belong to the quantities. To learn more about this, check out the «Quantities in Spanish» explanation!
Superlative Spanish – The most important thing
- In Spanish, comparisons are expressed through adjectives and adverbs and their comparative forms.
- The comparative represents the first form of increase dar. With him can Comparisons of Equals and inequalities to be pulled.
- In the case of inequalities, you need the auxiliary words más/menos … que. In case of equality, the Spanish part of the word is used tan… como used.
- The superlative represents the highest form of increase in Spanish grammar and expresses that something or someone the maximum form of a feature assumes
- A distinction is made between the superlative absolute and the relative superlative. The relative superlative is used with the auxiliary words lo/la más or. lo/la menos added. The absolute superlative becomes with the ending -ísimo/-a/-os/-as or the Spanish comparative word muy educated.