Superlative in Spanish: how to use it

Are you trying to learn how to use the superlative in Spanish? You are in the right place then!

If you read my previous article on comparisons in Spanish, where I explained how to use the comparative form, you’ll find the superlative even easier.

Instead of adding an -est (i.e.: the highest) to the adjective, we simply say el más alto (literally ‘the most high’).

It’s always the same pattern: definite article + más + adjective. Good news: 95% of the time this is the pattern you will need.

What about the other 5%? Well, besides some irregular adjectives (as always), it turns out that Spanish has two different types of superlative.

Are you ready? Let’s go!

Superlative in Spanish: how to use it

Relative superlative in Spanish: el edificio más alto del mundo

● When we want to highlight one person or one thing out from all the rest in a group, we use this pattern:

el/la/los/las + noun + más/menos (most/least) + adjective + de + group / que + frase

El Burj Khalifa es el edificio más alto del mundo .
Es el (edificio) más alto que he visitado en persona.

● When te context makes it clear, it’s not necessary to mention the group of reference:

Me dijiste que todas mis amigas te parecen simpáticas, pero no quién es la más linda.
_{[La más linda de mis amigas]}

So far, so good. This one is a pattern that you have probably heard before and when looking at each part separately, it actually seems pretty intuitive.

What about the other type that I mentioned in my intro, though?

¡Buenísimo! Introducing the absolute superlative

To be honest, you have probably heard this -ísimo form before too, only now are you finding out what it’s called!

To express that something shows a very high degree in a certain aspect but without linking it to other objects of its kind, we use this simple formula:

adjective / adverb + -ísimo/-a/-os/-as

Este edificio es altísimo.
El restaurante es lindo, pero la comida es malísima.
Juan se levanta tempranísimo.

● When -ísimo is added to an adjective, it agrees in grammatical gender and grammatical number with the noun it is referring to:

Los libros están carísimos.
Yo no uso Nike. ¡Es una marca carísima!

An important note: with adjectives that already express a high degree of intensity (like precioso, horrible, magnífico, estupendo, espantoso o maravilloso), it’s not necessary to use -ísimo.

From that list, you might find preciosísimo used here and there, but you will rarely come across the absolute superlative of the other ones.

How to form the absolute superlative

● The ending -ísimo is joined to the singular form of adjectives and some adverbs:

• If the adjective or adverb ends with a vowel, the vowel is replaced by -ísimo:
  
  alto/-a → altísimo/-a
  interesante → interesantísimo/-a
  temprano → tempranísimo
  tarde → tardísimo
  
• If the adjective or adverb ends with a consonant, -ísimo is added:
  
  útil → utilísimo
  fácil → facilísimo
  difícil → dificilísimo
  
• If the adjective ends with -ble:
  
  amable → amabilísimo/-a
  sensible → sensibilísimo/-a

With adverbs ending in -mente (formed from the singular feminine form of an adjective), -ísima is added to the adjective root:

lentamente → lentísimamente
rápidamente → rapidísimamente

There are some adjectives and adverbs that have irregular forms:

joven → jovencísimo
nuevo → novísimo/nuevísimo
poco → poquísimo
rico → riquísimo
fuerte → fortísimo/fuertísimo
antiguo → antiquísimo
fresco → fresquísimo

cerca → cerquísima
lejos → lejísimos

And finally, the four big exceptions!

The irregular superlative forms: mejor, peor, mayor, menor

You are probably already familiar with them! Whereas in English they are different for comparative and superlative (better vs. best, worse vs. worst, etc.) in Spanish it’s the same form for both!

Mejor = best

Messi es el mejor futbolista del mundo. (¡Y siempre lo será!)

Peor = worse

En 1985 Buenos Aires sufrió la peor inundación de la historia.

What about mayor and menor? Again, when comparing two different things, mayor and menor mainly refer to age.

María es la mayor de cuatro hermanas. (= the oldest)

Somos cuatro hermanas. La menor tiene 12 años. (= the youngest)

Other than that use, the formula [definite article + más + adjective] is much more common.

El Aconcagua es la montaña más alta de América.

However, mayor and menor can also be used directly before a noun:

Argentina es el mayor productor de yerba mate del mundo.

And that’s all for today!

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I hope you have enjoyed this article about the superlative in Spanish!

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Thank you very much and until next time,

Kevin.