Scribd
Upload
662 views

Comparatives and Superlatives in German - An Introduction: Positive (Base Form)

The document introduces the positive, comparative, and superlative forms of adjectives in German. It provides examples for attributive and predicate adjectives and discusses the comparative and superlative markers like "-er" and "-st". It also notes some irregular forms that must be memorized like "gut" becoming "besser" and "best" in the comparative and superlative.

Uploaded by

joan29ruiz
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
662 views

Comparatives and Superlatives in German - An Introduction: Positive (Base Form)

The document introduces the positive, comparative, and superlative forms of adjectives in German. It provides examples for attributive and predicate adjectives and discusses the comparative and superlative markers like "-er" and "-st". It also notes some irregular forms that must be memorized like "gut" becoming "besser" and "best" in the comparative and superlative.

Uploaded by

joan29ruiz
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 1

Co m p a ra tiv e s a n d Su p e rla tiv e s in Ge rm a n - An In tro d u c tio n

Positive (base form)


The base form of an adjective is called the positive form. If the adjective comes to the left of the noun, then that adjective is called an attributive adjective and takes grammar endings. If the adjective appears somewhere to the right of the noun, then it is a predicate adjective and takes no endings. Mein neues Fahrad hat viel gekostet. Mein Fahrrad ist neu. Wir arbeiten an dem alten Projekt. Das Projekt ist schon viel zu alt. My new bicycle cost a lot. (attributive adjective with grammar endings) My bicycle is new. (predicate adjective with no endings) We are working on the old project. (attributive adjective with grammar endings) That project is already much too old. (predicate adjective with no endings)

Comparative
The form used for comparisons is call the comparative for both adjectives and adverbs. The comparative marker is -er for German adjectives and adverbs. The adverb noch (even) occurs frequently with comparatives. Many monosyllabic adjectives in the comparative take Umlaut (such as lter, jnger, grer, etc.) and must be memorized. The German word for than (better than, older than, smaller than, etc.) is als. Comparative adjectives when used attributively take grammatical endings in addition to the comparative marker. There are a few irregular forms that must be memorized. The most notable are: gut 6 besser good 6 better (in the sense of ability or quality) viel 6 mehr much/a lot 6 more (in the sense of quantity) gern 6 lieber (no English equivalent) gladly 6 more gladly (in the sense of showing preference - to prefer) bald 6 eher soon 6 sooner Mein Bruder ist lter als meine Schwester. Ist dein Leben noch interessanter als meines? Matthias hat das kleinere Auto gekauft. Diesmal habe ich einen noch lngeren Aufsatz geschrieben. Sie spricht Deutsch noch besser als English. Ich trinke Wein noch lieber als Bier. Hast du noch mehr Geld? My brother is older than my sister. (predicative - takes no endings) Is your life even more interesting than mine? (predicative - no endings) Matthias bought the smaller car. (attributive - takes endings) This time I wrote a longer composition. (attributive - takes endings) She speaks German better than English. (adverb - no endings) I like wine better than beer. (lieber =preference - I prefer wine to beer.) Do you have more money. (mehr is not declinable.)

Superlative
Adjectives can be used to indicate that an item has a superior quality above all the other items being compared. The form of the adjective used to express this notion is called the superlative. Superlative adjectives take the marker -st or -est in German. Predicate adjectives in the superlative take the set form am sten. This form is also used for superlative adverbs. Attributive adjectives in the superlative must take the definite article (der, die, das) along with grammar endings. There are a few irregular forms in the superlative, and they must be memorized. The most notable are: gut 6 best good 6 best (in the sense of ability or quality) viel 6 meist much/a lot 6 most (in the sense of quantity) gern 6 liebst (no English equivalent) gladly 6 most gladly (in the sense of showing preference - to prefer) bald 6 ehest soon 6 soonest Findest du Deutsch am schwierigsten? Ist English die einfachste Sprache? Der beste Autor im 17. Jahrhundert war Goethe. Bill Gates hat das grte Einkommen. Die meisten Studenten mssen arbeiten. Meine Katze schlft die meiste Zeit. Kirsten trinkt Bier am liebsten. Do you think German is the most difficult? (predicate - set form: am sten) Is English the easiest language? (attributive - takes endings) The best author in the 17th century was Goethe. (attributive - takes endings) Bill Gates has the biggest income. (attributive - takes endings) Most students have to work. (attributive - takes endings) My cat sleeps most of the time. (attributive - takes endings) Kirsten likes beer best. (shows preference; adverb - set form: am sten)

You might also like