When -er and -st Get Awkward
Short adjectives compare with -er and -st: groot, groter, grootst. But Dutch, like English, can also compare with meer and meest — and for longer adjectives that is often the natural choice.
Meest + Adjective
After meest the adjective keeps its normal -e inflection:
| This is the most interesting film of the year. | Dit is de meest interessante film van het jaar. |
| That was the most complicated problem. | Dat was het meest ingewikkelde probleem. |
| This is the most practical solution. | Dit is de meest praktische oplossing. |
Meer + Adjective
The comparative works the same way, with dan as usual:
| She is more satisfied than her colleague. | Zij is meer tevreden dan haar collega. |
| He is more enthusiastic than I am. | Hij is meer enthousiast dan ik. |
Which Adjectives Prefer It?
| prefers meer/meest | why | example |
|---|---|---|
| long adjectives | three or more syllables | de meest interessante film |
| adjectives in -isch | -st is hard to say | de meest praktische oplossing |
| participles used as adjectives | de meest tevreden klant |
For many long adjectives BOTH forms are fine — interessantste and meest interessante are equally correct. What Dutch avoids is the opposite: never use meer/meest with a short adjective. Groter, never meer groot.
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