{"id":23954,"date":"2020-04-13T13:15:41","date_gmt":"2020-04-13T13:15:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sprachschule-aktiv-wien.at\/?p=23954"},"modified":"2021-03-15T14:36:59","modified_gmt":"2021-03-15T14:36:59","slug":"comparison-of-german-adjectives","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sprachschule-aktiv-wien.at\/en\/comparison-of-german-adjectives\/","title":{"rendered":"Comparison of German adjectives"},"content":{"rendered":"

Comparison of adjectives – German Grammar rules<\/h1>\n

German has surprises in store. Such as when we want to increase adjectives. How do we do that when we compare two things?\u00a0Your German grammar journey starts here…<\/p>\n

There are three levels of enhancement: the positive form, the comparative form and the superlative form. W<\/strong>hen do we use which word form when we increase an adjective? If we compare Anne with Susi, for example we say: \u201cAnne l\u00e4uft schneller als Susi. Maria l\u00e4uft am Schnellsten.\u201d That’s the increase in adjectives. We explain what matters.<\/p>\n

The positive form – the basic form of adjectives<\/h2>\n

This is the form in which the adjective is compared, e.g. with \u201cfast so \u2026 wie<\/strong>,\u00a0doppelt so \u2026 wie<\/strong>,\u00a0genauso \u2026 wie<\/strong>,\u00a0nicht so \u2026 wie<\/strong>,\u00a0halb so \u2026 wie\u201d<\/strong>, etc. Here one uses comparisons consisting of a basic form of an adjective and “wie”.<\/p>\n

Here are some examples:<\/p>\n

\u201eKommunikation ist\u00a0fast so<\/strong>\u00a0wichtig\u00a0wie<\/strong>\u00a0das, was Sie sagen.
\nMein kleiner Bruder ist nun\u00a0fast so<\/strong>\u00a0gro\u00df\u00a0wie<\/strong>\u00a0unser Vater.
\nDiese Bildkopie ist\u00a0fast so<\/strong>\u00a0sch\u00f6n\u00a0wie<\/strong>\u00a0das Original.
\nDie\u00a0Altstadt von Wien ist\u00a0fast so\u00a0<\/strong>sch\u00f6n\u00a0wie\u00a0<\/strong>Venedig.<\/p>\n

Markenjeans sind mindestens\u00a0doppelt so\u00a0<\/strong>teuer\u00a0wie\u00a0<\/strong>gew\u00f6hnliche.
\nWer schlecht in der Schule ist muss sich\u00a0doppelt so\u00a0<\/strong>viel anstrengen\u00a0wie\u00a0<\/strong>jemand, der gute Noten hat.
\nNicht zu gr\u00fc\u00dfen ist nicht h\u00f6flich. Das mag ich\u00a0genauso\u00a0<\/strong>wenig\u00a0wie\u00a0<\/strong>meine Freundin.<\/p>\n

Freundschaft ist\u00a0genauso<\/strong>\u00a0wichtig\u00a0wie<\/strong>\u00a0Familie.
\nSie wissen es\u00a0genauso<\/strong>\u00a0gut\u00a0wie<\/strong>\u00a0wir!<\/p>\n

Ein Samsung ist nicht so<\/strong> gut wie<\/strong> ein Iphone. Stimmen Sie zu?
\nEin Besen macht nicht so<\/strong> gut sauber wie<\/strong> ein Staubsauger.
\nJovica ist nicht so<\/strong> gut in Mathematik wie<\/strong> Yara.
\nYara ist halb so<\/strong> technisch begabt wie<\/strong> Jovica.
\nAnne l\u00e4uft halb so<\/strong> schnell wie Susi\u201c.<\/p>\n

The comparative – the first form of adjective enhancement<\/h2>\n

In the comparative form the adjective is increased in the first form. We form the increase with “als” and add \u201c-er\u201d to the adjective at the end. Do not use “mehr” for this purpose.<\/p>\n

Examples of this are:<\/p>\n

\u201eAnne l\u00e4uft schneller als<\/strong> Susi\u201c.
\n\u201eEine Kom\u00f6die ist lustiger als\u00a0<\/strong>ein Krimi\u201c.
\n\u201eDas Brot vom B\u00e4cker ist frischer als<\/strong> das Brot vom Supermarkt\u201c.
\n\u201eBeim Discounter ist das Essen billiger als\u00a0<\/strong>im kleinen Gesch\u00e4ft um die Ecke\u201c.
\nIf the positive basic form of the adjective is a monosyllabic with a, o or u, the ascending form is provided with a so called \u201cUmlaut\u201d.<\/p>\n

Examples of this are:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Old – older:<\/strong> \u201eDu bist 55 und ich bin 47. Du bist \u00e4lter als<\/strong> ich\u201c.
\nLong – longer:<\/strong> \u201eVon Wien aus ist der Weg nach Rum\u00e4nien l\u00e4nger als<\/strong> nach Ungarn\u201c.
\nTall – taller:<\/strong> \u201eEin Whiteboardstift ist gr\u00f6\u00dfer als<\/strong> ein Kugelschreiber\u201c.
\nCoarse – coarser:<\/strong> \u201eMeersalz f\u00fcr die Badewanne ist gr\u00f6ber<\/strong> als <\/strong>Speisesalz\u201c.
\nShort – shorter:<\/strong> \u201eNehmen wir doch diese Route! Der Weg durch die Autobahn ist k\u00fcrzer als<\/strong> durch die Berge\u201c!
\nHealthy – healthy:<\/strong> \u201eEs hei\u00dft, Gem\u00fcse aus dem Bauernhof sei ges\u00fcnder als<\/strong> Industriegem\u00fcse\u201c.<\/p>\n

The superlative – the highest form of increase of adjectives<\/h2>\n

The superlative form as the highest form of increase describes the maxim and is formed with “am”. You can also use the specific article. If “”am”” is used, the adjective is followed by an ending “-sten”.<\/p>\n

Examples are<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

Fast \u2013 the fastest:<\/strong> \u201eAnne ist die schnellste L\u00e4uferin. Anne l\u00e4uft am<\/strong> schnellsten\u201c<\/strong>.
\nLovely \u2013 the loveliest:<\/strong> \u201eDiese Kekse esse ich am<\/strong> liebsten\u201c.
\n<\/strong>Keen \u2013 the keenest:<\/strong> \u201eIn seiner Klasse ist Max der Flei\u00dfigste von allen Sch\u00fclern. Er ist am<\/strong> Flei\u00dfigsten\u201c<\/strong>.
\nSlowly \u2013 the slowliest:<\/strong> \u201eBei einem Tierwettrennen war Tortuga die Schildkr\u00f6te die langsamste. Sie war am<\/strong> langsamsten\u201d.<\/strong><\/p>\n

However, there are exceptions and peculiarities here as well, if you increase adjectives to the highest form. Here is an overview:<\/p>\n

– Monosyllabic adjectives with a, o or u in the vowel often form an \u201cUmlaut\u201d, also in the superlative. For example, someone is \u201cjung \u2013 j\u00fcnger \u2013 am<\/strong> j\u00fc<\/strong>ngsten\u201c<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

– In cases where adjectives end in “d\/t” or “s\/\u00df\/x\/z”, the superlative form is usually formed with “-est” at the end. For example, the weather is \u201chei\u00df \u2013 hei\u00dfer \u2013 am<\/strong> hei\u00dfesten\u201c.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Special features of adjective enhancement<\/h2>\n

Adjectives also have some peculiarities, which are based on the comparative as well as the superlative form:<\/p>\n

– With an unstressed ending on “-er””-el” or “-bel”, the “e” in the comparative form is omitted. This is not the case in the superlative form. For example, someone is \u201cedel \u2013 edler<\/strong> \u2013 am <\/strong>edelsten\u201d<\/strong>, or the bracelet made of gold is \u201cteuer \u2013 <\/strong>teurer \u2013 am <\/strong>teuersten\u201d<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

However, it does not apply to an ending on “-ell” and also not to adjectives whose ending on “-el” is emphasized. A painted vase is \u201coriginell \u2013 origineller<\/strong> \u2013 am <\/strong>originellsten\u201c<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

In the German course you will soon notice the many irregularities that the German language has to offer. A special feature is an irregularly increased adjective.<\/p>\n

These adjectives are always increased irregularly<\/h2>\n

good – better – best: \u201eMiranda kann gut singen. Anneliese kann besser singen als Miranda, aber Julia kann es immer noch am besten <\/strong>und ist deshalb im Chor\u201c.<\/p>\n

much – more – most of all: \u201eIch kann ja viel essen, wenn ich Hunger habe. Meine Schwester kann mehr<\/strong> essen als ich, und mein gro\u00dfer Bruder am meisten\u201c<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

near – near – next: \u201eDieser Bamkomat ist zu weit weg, fast 1 Km\u00a0 entfernt. Kennst du einen Bankomaten, der n\u00e4her<\/strong> von uns ist? Um die Ecke 50 mn von hier ist\u00a0 der n\u00e4chste. Er ist am n\u00e4chsten <\/strong>von uns\u201d.<\/p>\n

high – higher – highest: \u201eMein Hund klettert sehr hoch, deiner kann h\u00f6her<\/strong> springen als meiner, aber am<\/strong> h\u00f6chsten<\/strong> kann es der Border Collie von Barbara\u201c.<\/p>\n

\u201egern \u2013 lieber \u2013 am liebsten\u201c:\u00a0\u201e<\/strong>Anne ist gern H\u00fchnerschnitzel, w\u00e4hrend Pauli am liebsten<\/strong> Pizza mag\u201c.<\/p>\n

In addition, there are special features in attributive adjectives. Adjectives that are attributive must be able to be declined in all forms of increase. First, the ending of the gradient form is appended. First we append the ending of the gradient form and then the ending of the declination. The superlative form always forms an attributive adjective with the particular article.<\/p>\n

An example:<\/p>\n

\u201eIch rufe meine<\/strong> kleine<\/strong> Schwester \u2013 meine<\/strong> kleinere Schwester \u2013 meine<\/strong> kleinste<\/strong> Schwester\u201c.<\/p>\n

Special features of an adverbial\/predicative adjective<\/h2>\n

Adverbial adjectives always form the superlative form with “am” on the adjective we append the ending -sten.<\/p>\n

An example: \u201ewichtig \u2013 wichtiger \u2013 am <\/strong>wichtigsten\u201c<\/strong><\/p>\n

The predicative adjective is not only superlatively formed with “am”, but also contains a certain article. If this is used, the ending – ste follows.<\/p>\n

An example: \u201eDiese \u00dcbung ist am<\/strong> wichtigsten\u201c<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

You can learn adjective increases in our German course by means of numerous exercises.<\/p>\n

\"German<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Other interesting blogs and courses<\/h3>\n