Superlative adjectives in Spanish show that something has the highest or lowest degree of a quality (e.g., "the tallest," "the smartest," "the least interesting"). Spanish uses two main forms: relative superlatives, which compare one thing against a group (e.g., "the most beautiful in the class"), and absolute superlatives, which express an extreme degree without comparison (e.g., "very beautiful" or "extremely beautiful").
Formation of Superlatives
Spanish superlatives are formed in two ways: relative superlatives use the pattern el/la/los/las + más/menos + [adjective] + de [group], while absolute superlatives modify the adjective ending with -ísimo/a/os/as.
Relative Superlatives:
- Use más (more) or menos (less) plus the adjective.
- Include the definite article (el, la, los, las) before más or menos.
- Add de followed by the group being compared (e.g., de la clase).
Examples:
- Ella es la más alta de la clase.* (She is the tallest in the class.)
- Ellos son los menos pacientes del grupo.* (They are the least patient of the group.)
Absolute Superlatives:
- Formed by adding -ísimo/a/os/as to the adjective.
- The ending matches the adjective's gender and number.
- Expresses "very," "extremely," or "super" without comparing to others.
Examples:
- La película fue interesantísima.* (The movie was extremely interesting.)
- Estoy buenísimo hoy.* (I am very good today.)
Note: Irregular adjectives have special superlative forms (see the Exceptions section).
Agreement with Nouns
Superlative adjectives in Spanish must always agree in gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural) with the noun they modify.
- If the noun is feminine singular, use endings like -a (más alta, altísima).
- If the noun is masculine singular, use -o (más alto, altísimo).
- For plural nouns, add -s (más altas, altísimas; más altos, altísimos).
Examples:
- El chico más inteligente.* (The most intelligent boy.)
- Las chicas más inteligentes.* (The most intelligent girls.)
- Un edificio altísimo.* (A very tall building.)
- Edificios altísimos.* (Very tall buildings.)
Examples of Relative Superlatives
Here are examples of relative superlatives (using más/menos + adjective) across different genders and numbers:
| Spanish Example | English Example | Spanish Example (Plural) | English Example (Plural) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Él es el más rápido. | He is the fastest. | Ellos son los más rápidos. | They are the fastest. |
| Ella es la menos feliz. | She is the least happy. | Ellas son las menos felices. | They are the least happy. |
| Este es el libro más interesante. | This is the most interesting book. | Estos son los libros más interesantes. | These are the most interesting books. |
| La casa es la menos cara. | The house is the least expensive. | Las casas son las menos caras. | The houses are the least expensive. |
Note: The noun’s gender and number determine the form of the definite article (el, la, los, las) and adjective ending.
Examples of Absolute Superlatives
Absolute superlatives add -ísimo/a/os/as to the adjective stem, matching gender and number.
| Spanish Example | English Example | Spanish Example (Plural) | English Example (Plural) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Es altísimo. | He is very tall. | Son altísimos. | They are very tall. |
| La comida está buenísima. | The food is delicious. | Las comidas están buenísimas. | The foods are delicious. |
| La película fue larguísima. | The movie was very long. | Las películas fueron larguísimas. | The movies were very long. |
| Estoy facilísima. | It is very easy for me. | Estamos facilísimos. | It is very easy for us. |
Note: For adjectives ending in -co, -ca, -go, -ga, add -quísimo/a or -guísimo/a (e.g., rico → riquísimo, largo → larguísimo).
Placement in Sentences
Relative superlatives follow the structure el/la/los/las + más/menos + adjective + de + [group] and usually come after the noun.
Absolute superlatives appear immediately after the noun or at the end of the sentence.
| Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|
| Ella es la más inteligente de la clase. | She is the most intelligent in the class. |
| Tenemos los menos creativos del grupo. | We have the least creative in the group. |
| Es un problema dificilísimo. | It’s a very difficult problem. |
| Las playas están buenísimas hoy. | The beaches are very beautiful today. |
Using Irregular Superlative Forms
Some adjectives have irregular superlative stems (mostly for relative superlatives), but still require the definite article and de + group.
| Positive Form | Irregular Superlative | English Example |
|---|---|---|
| bueno/a | el/la mejor | Ella es la mejor estudiante. (She is the best student.) |
| malo/a | el/la peor | Este es el peor día. (This is the worst day.) |
| grande | el/la mayor | Él es el mayor del equipo. (He is the oldest on the team.) |
| pequeño/a | el/la menor | Ella es la menor de la familia. (She is the youngest in the family.) |
Note: These irregular forms mean "best," "worst," "oldest/biggest," and "youngest/smallest," respectively.
Common Mistakes
- Omitting the definite article: Superlatives always need el/la/los/las before más/menos.
- Forgetting agreement: The superlative adjective must match the noun’s gender and number.
- Leaving out the group: Don’t forget de + [group] in relative superlatives to specify the comparison.
- Using absolute superlatives for comparison: Absolute forms (e.g., altísimo) cannot be used to compare between groups.
- Confusing mejor/peor, mayor/menor with más/menos: Use the irregular forms where appropriate, not más bueno, más malo, etc.
Summary
- Use el/la/los/las + más/menos + adjective + de + [group] for relative superlatives (comparisons).
- Use suffix -ísimo/a/os/as for absolute superlatives (expressing a very high degree).
- Always match the adjective’s ending with the noun’s gender and number.
- Remember irregular forms: mejor, peor, mayor, menor.
- Use context to determine if you need comparison (más/menos) or emphasis (-ísimo).
You’re now ready to express the “most,” “least,” and “very/extremely” forms of adjectives in Spanish!
Flashcards (1 of 16)
- English Example: He is the fastest.
- English Example (Plural): They are the fastest.
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
