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Spanish (Latin America)

### Relative Superlatives

To say that something has the highest or lowest degree of a quality (like "the tallest" or "the least impressive"), Spanish uses the **relative superlative**.

Instead of an ending like "-est", use a definite article (**el**, **la**, **los**, **las**), the noun, **más** (most) or **menos** (least), and the adjective.

- **el / la / los / las** + noun + **más / menos** + adjective

To specify the group or place, add the preposition **de**.

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Notice how **de** and **el** combine to form the contraction **del**. You will use this constantly when talking about extreme records in the world (**el mundo**) or a group (**el grupo**).

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### The Least...

Use the exact same structure with **menos** to mean "the least." Make sure the article and adjective agree with the gender and number of the noun.

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### Dropping the Noun

If the noun is already the subject of your sentence, you do not need to repeat it in the superlative phrase. Just use the article followed by **más** or **menos** and the adjective.

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Relative superlatives (el más... de)

adjective

adverb

auxiliary verb

conjunction

determiner

expression

interjection

noun

numeral

prep

preposition

pronoun

sentence

verb

Subject pronouns and the verb to be (yo soy)

Noun gender and definite articles (el, la)

Basic sentences and negation (no)

Indefinite articles (un, una)

Formal and informal you (tú vs. usted)

Plural pronouns and the verb to be (somos, son)

Making nouns plural (-s, -es)

Plural articles (los, las, unos, unas)

Noun gender exceptions

Adjective agreement

Invariable adjectives

State and location (estar)

Ser vs. estar

There is / there are (hay)

Hay vs. estar

To have (tener)

Possession (de)

Possessive adjectives (mi, tu, su)

Regular -ar verbs

Yes/No questions

What and who (qué, quién)

Regular -er verbs

Regular -ir verbs

Asking where (dónde, adónde)

How, when, and why (cómo, cuándo, por qué)

How much and how many (cuánto)

Days of the week

Going to a place (ir a)

Preposition contractions (al, del)

In and by (en)

With me and with you (conmigo, contigo)

Prepositional pronouns (mí, ti)

Conjunctions (y, o, pero)

Giving reasons (porque)

Stem-changing verbs (e to ie)

Stem-changing verbs (o to ue)

Stem-changing verbs (e to i)

Irregular yo forms (hago, salgo)

To know (saber vs. conocer)

Weather expressions (hace, está)

Desires and plans (querer)

Ability and requests (poder)

Obligations (tener que)

Expressing likes (me gusta)

Plural likes (me gustan)

Verbs like gustar (encantar, doler)

Very vs. a lot (muy, mucho)

Numbers 0 to 15 (cero, uno, dos…)

Numbers 16 to 31 (dieciséis, veinte…)

Numbers 30 to 1000 (treinta, cien, mil)

Months of the year (enero, febrero, marzo)

Seasons and dates (el dos de mayo)

Telling time (es la..., son las...)

Ordinal numbers 1st to 10th (primero, segundo, tercero)

Reflexive pronouns and verbs (me, te, se, nos)

Direct object pronouns (lo, la, los, las)

The near future (ir a)

The present continuous (estar + -ando, -iendo)

Near demonstrative adjectives (este, esta, estos, estas)

Medium demonstrative adjectives (ese, esa, esos, esas)

Comparatives of inequality (más / menos ... que)

Comparatives of equality (tan ... como)

Indefinite and negative pronouns (algo, nada, alguien, nadie)

Affirmative commands

Far demonstratives (aquel, aquella)

Possessive pronouns (el mío, el tuyo)

Shortened indefinite adjectives (algún, ningún)

Adverbs of quantity (demasiado, bastante)

Adverbs of frequency (a menudo, a veces)

Adverb formation (-mente)

Exclamations (¡Qué...!)

Irregular comparatives (mejor, peor, mayor, menor)

Adjective intensification (-ísimo)

Indirect object pronouns

Pronoun placement with infinitives

Double object pronouns (me lo, te la)

The 'se lo' rule (se lo, se la)

Impersonal statements (se)

Impersonal obligation (hay que)

Personal obligation (deber)

Starting actions (empezar a)

Finishing and quitting actions (terminar de, dejar de)

Repeating actions (volver a)

Continuing actions (seguir + gerundio)

Complex prepositions of place (encima de, debajo de...)

Question	Answer
the volcano	el volcán
the world	el mundo
This is the largest volcano in the world.	Este es el volcán más grande del mundo.
the continent	el continente
hot	caliente
That is the hottest continent on the planet.	Ese es el continente más caliente del planeta.
impressive	impresionante
the group	el grupo
It is the most impressive volcano of the group.	Es el volcán más impresionante del grupo.
the cave	la cueva
This cave is the least deep of the group.	Esta cueva es la menos profunda del grupo.
the waterfall	la cascada
The waterfall is the tallest in the world.	La cascada es la más alta del mundo.
the bridge	el puente
The old bridge is the least impressive in the city.	El puente viejo es el menos impresionante de la ciudad.
Is this cave hotter than the desert?	¿Es esta cueva más caliente que el desierto?
the record	el récord
The record for the deepest cave in the world is new.	El récord de la cueva más profunda del mundo es nuevo.
This continent is the smallest of the group.	Este continente es el más pequeño del grupo.
That long bridge has a record.	Ese puente largo tiene un récord.
What country has the longest river on the continent?	¿Qué país tiene el río más largo del continente?
The map of the cave is very useful. I need it.	El mapa de la cueva es muy útil. Lo necesito.
This waterfall is the highest in the world.	Esta cascada es la más alta del mundo.
only (unique)	único
He is my only brother.	Es mi único hermano.
It is the only table in the restaurant.	Es la única mesa del restaurante.