There is a difference English blurs but Czech keeps in view: saying something is "the best of the group" (a genuine ranking — the relative superlative) versus saying it is simply "extremely good" with no group in mind at all (the absolute superlative, i.e. plain intensification). The nej- superlative handles ranking; this page handles the second job — how to say very / extremely / terribly X when you are not comparing against anything. Czech does this with a set of degree adverbs (velmi, moc, hrozně, nesmírně), with intensifying prefixes (pře-, pra-), and, delightfully, with diminutive endings that make an adjective sound very something in an affectionate way (maličký, mileroučký).
Ranking vs intensity: nejlepší ze všech vs velmi dobrý
Put the two side by side so the difference is unmistakable. The first sentence ranks within a set; the second just cranks up the degree.
Je to nejlepší restaurace ve městě.
It's the best restaurant in town. (relative superlative — ranked against all others in town)
Je to velmi dobrá restaurace.
It's a very good restaurant. (absolute — no ranking, just high degree)
You can feel the trap already: an English speaker who wants "very good" sometimes reaches for a superlative shape, but nejlepší forces a comparison that isn't meant. When there is no "of the …," use a degree adverb, not nej-.
The degree adverbs: velmi, moc, hrozně, nesmírně, náramně
The standard way to say "very / extremely" is to put a degree adverb in front of the plain adjective. They differ mostly in register and force:
| Adverb | Meaning | Register |
|---|---|---|
| velmi | very | neutral / formal |
| moc | very, really | informal (colloquial) |
| hrozně, strašně | terribly = very, awfully | informal, emphatic |
| nesmírně | immensely, exceedingly | formal / literary |
| náramně | tremendously, splendidly | neutral, slightly old-flavoured |
| vysoce | highly | formal (with abstract adjectives) |
Je to velmi důležité rozhodnutí.
It's a very important decision. (velmi — neutral, safe everywhere)
Ta bunda je moc drahá, nekoupím ji.
That jacket is too/very expensive — I won't buy it. (moc — colloquial)
Byla to nesmírně cenná zkušenost.
It was an immensely valuable experience. (nesmírně — formal)
Máme se náramně, děkujeme za optání.
We're doing tremendously well, thanks for asking. (náramně)
hrozně and strašně: fear-words that just mean "very"
This one surprises English speakers. hrozně ("horribly") and strašně ("terribly, frighteningly") come from words for dread — hrozný, strašný = "dreadful." But as intensifiers they lose all negativity and simply mean "very, really," attaching happily to positive adjectives. Strašně hezký is not "frighteningly pretty" in any scary sense — it is just "really pretty," exactly like colloquial English "terribly nice" or "awfully kind."
Ten dort byl strašně dobrý.
That cake was terribly good (= really delicious).
Jsem hrozně rád, že tě vidím.
I'm awfully glad to see you.
Bylo to hrozně milé, děkuju.
That was terribly kind, thank you.
These are (informal) but ubiquitous in speech. Keep them out of formal writing, where velmi / nesmírně belong.
Prefix intensification: pře-, pra-, veli-
Czech can also intensify by prefix, fusing "very/over-" straight onto the adjective. The most productive is pře- ("over-, ever so, exceedingly"): přemilý (ever so kind), přešťastný (overjoyed), předrahý (frightfully dear), and the everyday přeplněný (overcrowded, packed). Then pra- intensifies age/depth: prastarý (ancient, age-old), pradávný (of the distant past), prapůvodní (the very original). A more literary veli-/veliký-flavoured layer survives in set words like velikánský (huge). These carry an emphatic, sometimes affectionate colour and are worth recognising even if you reach for adverbs more often.
Byla to přemilá stará paní.
She was an ever-so-kind old lady. (pře- = intensifier, warm tone)
Vlak byl přeplněný, museli jsme stát.
The train was overcrowded — we had to stand. (pře- = over-)
Vykopali tam prastaré základy hradu.
They dug up the ancient foundations of a castle there. (pra- = age-old)
Měl z toho dárku přešťastnou náladu.
The gift put him in an overjoyed mood. (pře- with šťastný)
Diminutive intensifiers: -ičký, -oučký, -ounký
Here Czech does something English can't. The diminutive endings that shrink nouns also attach to adjectives, and on an adjective they don't shrink — they intensify with tenderness: -ičký, -oučký, -ounký, -inký. malý (small) → maličký / malinký ("teeny-tiny"); mladý (young) → mlaďoučký ("ever so young"); milý (nice) → miloučký / mileroučký ("ever so sweet"); tichý (quiet) → tichoučký ("nice and quiet"). The effect is warm, endearing, nursery-rhyme — very common with children, pets and cosy things. See the fuller pattern on the diminutives page.
Máte tu maličké, útulné kavárny.
You've got these teeny, cosy little cafés here. (maličký — affectionate intensity)
To je ale mlaďoučká slečna!
What an ever-so-young lady! (mlaďoučký)
Venku bylo tichoučko, ani lísteček se nehnul.
It was ever so quiet outside — not a single little leaf stirred.
These are firmly (informal / affectionate); you would not intensify a legal brief with maličký.
nanejvýš and co nej- : the borderline forms
Two constructions sit right on the border between ranking and intensity. nanejvýš ("at most; extremely") intensifies while nodding at a ceiling: nanejvýš důležité = "supremely important." And co nej- + comparative ("as … as possible") — treated on the superlative page — uses the nej- form but expresses a maximised effort rather than a ranking.
Je nanejvýš pravděpodobné, že to stihneme.
It's extremely likely that we'll make it. (nanejvýš — supreme degree)
Přijď co nejdřív, prosím.
Come as soon as possible, please. (co nej- = maximised, not ranked)
A note for English speakers
English keeps "very" and "the -est" comfortably apart — you would never say "the best" to mean "very good." The trap in Czech is subtler: because nej- is so easy to form, learners over-reach for it, producing a ranking where they only meant intensity. Build the reflex: no set → no nej-. The flip side is that Czech gives you more ways to say "very" than English does — degree adverbs, prefixes, and even diminutives — each with its own register colour. The one that consistently catches English speakers off guard is hrozně / strašně: don't hear the horror in them; as intensifiers they are simply "really."
Common Mistakes
1. Using a superlative to mean "very." No comparison set = no superlative.
❌ Ta kniha je nejzajímavější, hltal jsem ji celou noc.
Odd if you mean just 'very interesting' — that ranks it above all others. Use 'velmi zajímavá'.
✅ Ta kniha je velmi zajímavá, hltal jsem ji celou noc.
That book is very interesting — I devoured it all night.
2. Hearing hrozně/strašně as negative. With a positive adjective they just mean "very."
❌ Understanding 'strašně hezký' as 'scarily pretty'.
Wrong reading — as an intensifier strašně simply means 'really': 'really pretty'.
✅ Máš strašně hezký účes.
You have a really nice haircut.
3. Writing the prefix pře- separately. Like all Czech prefixes, it is joined to the word.
❌ Byla to pře milá paní.
Incorrect — pře- is a prefix, written joined: přemilá.
✅ Byla to přemilá paní.
She was an ever-so-kind lady.
4. Using colloquial intensifiers in formal writing. moc, hrozně, strašně belong to speech; formal texts want velmi, nesmírně, vysoce.
❌ (v žádosti) Byl bych moc rád, kdybyste…
Too colloquial for a formal request — use 'velmi rád' or 'velice rád'.
✅ Byl bych velmi rád, kdybyste mou žádost zvážili.
I would be very glad if you would consider my request.
Key Takeaways
- Distinguish ranking ("best of the set" → nej- … ze všech / v …) from intensity ("very, extremely" → degree adverb or prefix). No set means no nej-.
- Degree adverbs by register: velmi (neutral/formal), moc (informal, also "too"), hrozně / strašně (informal, emphatic — not negative), nesmírně / vysoce (formal).
- Intensifying prefixes: pře- ("ever so, over-": přemilý, přeplněný), pra- ("age-old": prastarý).
- Diminutive endings intensify adjectives affectionately: -ičký / -oučký / -ounký (maličký, mlaďoučký, miloučký) — warm, informal.
- Borderline forms: nanejvýš ("extremely, supremely") and co nej- + comparative ("as … as possible").
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Start learning Czech→Related Topics
- The Superlative: the nej- PrefixB1 — Building superlatives by adding nej- to the comparative (nejrychlejší).
- Forming the Comparative: -ější, -ší, -číA2 — Czech builds comparatives with one of three suffixes — productive -ější, common -ší, and a small -čí set — often triggering a consonant change, and the result declines as a soft adjective.
- Adverbs of Degree and MannerA2 — Intensifiers like velmi, moc, dost, příliš and how strong each is.
- DiminutivesB1 — The pervasive Czech diminutive suffixes and their layered forms.
- Emphatic Intensifiers and Strong LanguageB2 — Intensifying exclamations and a labeled overview of mild expletives.