The Superlative Form (am ...-sten)
To state that something is the most extreme (e.g., the fastest, the most beautiful), German uses the word am followed by the adjective with the ending -sten.
| Our planet, the Earth, is the most beautiful. | Unser Planet, die Erde, ist am schönsten. |
Pronunciation and Vowel Changes
Just like in the comparative form, some adjectives require a small spelling adjustment in the superlative:
- Umlauts: Short adjectives with the vowels a, o, or u that take an umlaut in the comparative will also take an umlaut in the superlative.
- Adding an
-e-: If an adjective ends with a sharp consonant sound like -d, -t, -s, or -z, you must add an extra -e- before the ending (-esten) to make it pronounceable.
| Adjective | Comparative | Superlative | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| alt | älter | am ältesten | the oldest |
| kalt | kälter | am kältesten | the coldest |
| laut | lauter | am lautesten | the loudest |
Here is the superlative form of alt in action:
| Is the Earth the oldest? | Ist die Erde am ältesten? |
Exploring the Universe
You can use these superlative forms to describe space and everything in it. Notice how both regular adjectives and adjectives with spelling changes behave in the examples below:
| In space, it is the darkest. | Im Weltall ist es am dunkelsten. |
| The rocket flies the fastest. | Die Rakete fliegt am schnellsten. |
| When the rocket flies, it is the loudest. | Wenn die Rakete fliegt, ist sie am lautesten. |
| There is no life on the moon, because it is the coldest there. | Es gibt kein Leben auf dem Mond, denn da ist es am kältesten. |
Your questions are stored by us to improve Elon.io
