Breakdown of Die Burg ist hoch, aber der Berg ist am höchsten.
sein
to be
aber
but
der Berg
the mountain
hoch
high
Questions & Answers about Die Burg ist hoch, aber der Berg ist am höchsten.
I learned that the comparative for hoch drops the 'c'. Why does am höchsten have a 'c'?
You are right to notice that! The comparative form höher (higher) drops the 'c'. However, the superlative form brings it back and adds an umlaut: am höchsten (highest). The adjective hoch is highly irregular, so it is best to memorize its three forms together: hoch, höher, am höchsten.
Why do we say am höchsten here instead of just höchste?
When a superlative adjective comes after a verb like ist (is) to describe the subject, we must use the am ...-sten format. Because the sentence says the mountain is highest, we say ist am höchsten. If the adjective were placed directly in front of the noun instead, we would use a regular ending, like in der höchste Berg (the highest mountain).
Die Burg and der Berg look and sound very similar. Is there an easy way to tell them apart?
They do look similar and often confuse learners! Die Burg means the castle (specifically a fortified one) and is feminine. Der Berg means the mountain and is masculine. A fun trick to remember them is that you will often find a Burg built on top of a Berg!
Why is the word aber used here without changing the word order in the second half of the sentence?