To say something is the "most" or "-est" (like "fastest" or "smartest"), you use the superlative degree. For most regular adjectives, you form this by adding the suffix -astur (or -stur) to the adjective's stem.
To find the stem, drop the -ur ending from the dictionary form (if there is one):
- fljótur (fast) → fljótastur (fastest)
- gáfaður (intelligent) → gáfaðastur (smartest)
- hávær (loud) → háværastur (loudest)
| The winner is always fastest. | Sigurvegarinn er alltaf fljótastur. |
| Which competitor is fastest and strongest? | Hvaða keppandi er fljótastur og sterkastur? |
Gender and the Superlative
Superlative adjectives must match the noun they describe in gender. The -astur suffix is for masculine singular nouns. For feminine and neuter nouns, the endings shift:
| Gender | Ending | Example (Fastest) |
|---|---|---|
| Masculine | -astur | fljótastur |
| Feminine | -ust | fljótust |
| Neuter | -ast | fljótast |
(Note: For neuter plural nouns, such as *verðlaunin (the prize), the ending is -ust, identical to the feminine singular).*
Here is how these feminine and neuter endings look in practice:
| The girl is fastest, but she is also most tired. | Stelpan er fljótust, en hún er líka þreyttust. |
| The world record is most important, but the prize is most expensive. | Heimsmetið er mikilvægast, en verðlaunin eru dýrust. |
Establishing Records
Now you can mix base adjectives (positive), comparatives (faster), and superlatives (fastest) together in the same sentence to describe extremes and establish records:
| The competitor is faster than I am, but the winner is fastest. | Keppandinn er fljótari en ég, en sigurvegarinn er fljótastur. |
| The whole race is difficult, but this track is most difficult. | Allt kapphlaupið er erfitt, en þessi braut er erfiðust. |