Just like adjectives describe nouns, adverbs describe verbs. They tell us how an action is performed—like gliding fast, training diligently, or jumping bravely.
Let's look at a regular adverb in its basic form:
| The ski glides fast on the snow. | Skidan glider fort på snön. |
The Comparative: -are
When you want to compare how actions are performed (for example, to say a ski glides faster or someone jumps more bravely), use the comparative form with the ending -are.
| Does the new ski glide faster? | Glider den nya skidan fortare? |
If you want to include who or what you are comparing the action to, use the word än (than).
| Nobody jumps more bravely than the young skier. | Ingen hoppar modigare än den unga skidåkaren. |
The Superlative: -ast
When you want to express the highest degree of an action (such as training most diligently or gliding fastest), use the superlative form with the ending -ast.
Because adverbs modify verbs and not nouns, they don't have to agree with a noun's gender or plural form. The comparative and superlative endings will always stay exactly the same: -are and -ast.
| Who has trained most diligently for the race? | Vem har tränat flitigast för loppet? |
| Who glides fastest in the long track? | Vem glider fortast i det långa spåret? |
| The skier skis most bravely in the track. | Skidåkaren åker modigast i spåret. |