Danish builds comparatives and superlatives much as English does — with endings: billig → billigere → billigst mirrors cheap → cheaper → cheapest. The three-step ladder is positive → comparative → superlative, and for the large regular class the endings are -ere and -est/-st. The two things this page does that most resources don't: it states clearly which adjectives take the endings versus the long mere/mest construction (the line English speakers cross in the wrong direction constantly), and it keeps the suppletive irregulars out of the "regular" pile where they don't belong.
The regular ladder: -ere and -est
Most Danish adjectives form the comparative with -ere and the superlative with -est (or just -st after some stems).
| Positive | Comparative (-ere) | Superlative (-est/-st) |
|---|---|---|
| billig (cheap) | billigere | billigst |
| hurtig (fast) | hurtigere | hurtigst |
| pæn (pretty/nice) | pænere | pænest |
Den her cykel er billigere end den anden.
This bike is cheaper than the other one.
Toget er hurtigere end bussen, men dyrere.
The train is faster than the bus, but more expensive.
Det var den pæneste kjole i butikken.
It was the prettiest dress in the shop.
Notice the comparative is followed by end ("than"): billigere *end den anden*. That is the standard comparison frame.
Consonant doubling
When the positive ends in a stressed vowel + single consonant, that consonant doubles before the endings, keeping the vowel short in spelling. This is the same doubling you saw in the plural/definite -e form of adjectives.
| Positive | Comparative | Superlative |
|---|---|---|
| smuk (beautiful) | smukkere | smukkest |
| let (easy/light) | lettere | lettest |
| tyk (thick/fat) | tykkere | tykkest |
| grøn (green) | grønnere | grønnest |
Udsigten herfra er endnu smukkere end fra toppen.
The view from here is even more beautiful than from the top.
Opgaven blev lettere, da vi delte den op.
The task got easier once we split it up.
Isen er tykkere i midten af søen.
The ice is thicker in the middle of the lake.
Adjectives in -ig, -lig, -som take the endings cleanly
A class English speakers worry about needlessly: adjectives ending in -ig, -lig, and -som take the regular -ere/-est with no fuss and no doubling.
| Positive | Comparative | Superlative |
|---|---|---|
| venlig (friendly) | venligere | venligst |
| billig (cheap) | billigere | billigst |
| langsom (slow) | langsommere | langsomst |
Kunne du være lidt venligere over for din lillebror?
Could you be a bit friendlier toward your little brother?
Computeren er blevet langsommere med årene.
The computer has got slower over the years.
Note langsom → langsommere: the -m doubles (stressed vowel + single consonant), but the -som ending itself is perfectly regular.
The superlative takes -e when it's definite or predicative-attributive
The superlative has two shapes. The bare -est/-st form is used predicatively (after være, blive) and in the basic "most X" sense. But when the superlative stands attributively in a definite phrase — the cheapest car — it takes a final -e, exactly like any other definite adjective.
| Bare superlative | Definite superlative (+ -e) |
|---|---|
| billigst | den billigste bil |
| hurtigst | de hurtigste løbere |
| smukkest | det smukkeste billede |
Vi valgte den billigste bil på pladsen.
We chose the cheapest car on the lot.
De hurtigste løbere starter forrest.
The fastest runners start at the front.
Hvilken er bedst? — Den her er hurtigst.
Which one is best? — This one is fastest. (predicative, bare form)
So: Den her bil er hurtigst (predicative, bare) but den *hurtigste bil (attributive + definite, takes -e). This is just the definite -e* rule applied to the superlative stem.
When to use mere / mest instead
Danish does have a periphrastic comparison — mere (more) and mest (most) — but it is reserved for specific classes, not used as a free English-style "more/most" with any adjective. Use mere/mest with:
- Long / polysyllabic adjectives, especially loanwords: intelligent → mere intelligent → mest intelligent.
- Present and past participles used as adjectives: spændende (exciting) → mere spændende; fascineret (fascinated) → mere fascineret.
- Adjectives ending in -isk, -et, -ende: praktisk → mere praktisk → mest praktisk.
| Positive | Comparative | Superlative |
|---|---|---|
| intelligent | mere intelligent | mest intelligent |
| praktisk (practical) | mere praktisk | mest praktisk |
| spændende (exciting) | mere spændende | mest spændende |
| fascineret (fascinated) | mere fascineret | mest fascineret |
Den anden løsning er mere praktisk i hverdagen.
The other solution is more practical in everyday life.
Det var den mest spændende bog, jeg har læst i år.
It was the most exciting book I've read this year.
A note on the suppletive irregulars (taught fully elsewhere)
A small set of very common adjectives don't follow either pattern — they swap stems entirely (the way English does in good → better → best). Do not treat these as regular -ere words; they are covered on the irregular-comparison page. Listed here only so you can recognise and avoid mislabelling them:
| Positive | Comparative | Superlative |
|---|---|---|
| god (good) | bedre | bedst |
| dårlig (bad) | værre | værst |
| gammel (old) | ældre | ældst |
| stor (big) | større | størst |
| lille (small) | mindre | mindst |
| mange (many) | flere | flest |
These are not "god → godere." They are wholesale replacements, and you simply memorise them.
Common mistakes
Using mere/mest with a short native adjective. The single biggest transfer error: English says "more cheap" is wrong but "more pretty/more happy" feels acceptable, so learners over-apply mere. Danish wants the ending.
❌ Den her er mere billig.
Incorrect — short native adjectives take -ere, not mere.
✅ Den her er billigere.
This one is cheaper.
Forgetting consonant doubling. A stressed vowel + single consonant doubles before the ending.
❌ Udsigten er smukere her.
Incorrect — smuk doubles its k: smukkere.
✅ Udsigten er smukkere her.
The view is more beautiful here.
Leaving the definite superlative bare. Attributive + definite means a final -e.
❌ den billigst bil
Incorrect — a definite attributive superlative takes -e.
✅ den billigste bil
the cheapest car
Treating an irregular as regular. god does not become godere/godest.
❌ Den her plan er godere.
Incorrect — god is suppletive: bedre, bedst.
✅ Den her plan er bedre.
This plan is better.
Using mere with a participle but also adding -ere. Pick one route, never both.
❌ en mere spændendere film
Incorrect — participles take mere alone, with no extra ending.
✅ en mere spændende film
a more exciting film
Key takeaways
- Regular ladder: positive → -ere → -est/-st (billig, billigere, billigst).
- Stressed vowel + single consonant doubles: smuk → smukkere → smukkest; grøn → grønnere → grønnest.
- -ig/-lig/-som adjectives take the endings cleanly: venlig → venligere → venligst.
- The superlative takes -e when attributive and definite: den billigste bil; bare -est/-st when predicative.
- Use mere/mest only with long adjectives, participles, and -isk/-et/-ende words — not with short native adjectives.
- The suppletives (god → bedre → bedst and friends) are a separate list to memorise, not the regular pattern.
Now practice Danish
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Start learning Danish→Related Topics
- Irregular ComparisonB1 — The suppletive and umlaut comparatives in Danish — god/bedre/bedst, gammel/ældre/ældst and the rest, plus the mange/meget split.
- Mere and Mest: Periphrastic ComparisonC1 — When Danish forms the comparative and superlative with the separate words mere and mest instead of the endings -ere/-est.
- Comparisons of Equality: Lige så...somA2 — Saying two things are equal in Danish with lige så...som ('as...as'), the negative ikke så...som ('not as...as'), and samme...som ('the same...as') — and why the lige is obligatory in the affirmative.
- Indefinite Adjective Agreement: -Ø, -t, -eA1 — The Danish indefinite (strong) adjective paradigm: base form for common singular, -t for neuter singular, -e for plural — plus the full set of spelling rules for when -t is and isn't added, and consonant doubling before -e.
- Definite Adjective Agreement: The -e FormA2 — After any definite trigger — the free article den/det/de, a demonstrative, a possessive, or a genitive — a Danish attributive adjective always takes -e, regardless of gender or number.
- Danish Adjectives: An OverviewA1 — A map of Danish adjective agreement: the indefinite paradigm (base / +t / +e) and the definite -e form, all driven by gender, number, and definiteness — presented as two forms to choose between.