Superlative adjectives show the highest degree of a quality and help you compare one thing to all others. This guide covers the basic forms and useful expressions for making superlatives in Spanish.
Absolute Superlative
The absolute superlative emphasizes an adjective to show an extreme quality without comparing to others. It is often formed by adding -ísimo to the adjective stem, and it agrees in gender and number with the noun.
| Adjective | Adjective + ísimo/ísima | English Translation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| grande | grandísimo / grandísima | very big / huge | |
| rápido | rapidísimo / rapidísima | very fast | |
| fuerte | fuertísimo / fuertísima | very strong |
This cake is very delicious.
Relative Superlative
The relative superlative compares one noun to a group and uses más (more) or menos (less) before the adjective, and de to introduce the group. This shows that something has the highest or lowest degree of a quality within that set.
Irregular Superlatives
Some adjectives have irregular forms for the relative superlative, and common comparative words like mejor and peor are used instead of más bueno or más malo. These irregular forms are important to learn.
| English Meaning | Comparative in Spanish | Superlative in Spanish | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| good | mejor | el/la mejor | mejor replaces más bueno | |
| bad | peor | el/la peor | peor replaces más malo | |
| young | joven | menor | menor replaces más joven | |
| old | viejo | mayor | mayor replaces más viejo |
Superlative Expressions
Spanish also has set expressions that emphasize an extreme quality without using the typical superlative form. Phrases like muy bueno, súper rápido, and de maravilla add flair and are common in speech.
| Spanish Expression | English Translation | |
|---|---|---|
| muy bueno | very good | |
| súper rápido | super fast | |
| de maravilla | wonderfully / great |
Summary
Use the absolute superlative with -ísimo to show an extreme quality, the relative superlative with más or menos and de to compare within a group, learn the irregular forms like mejor and peor, and try set expressions for natural emphasis.
Last updated: Fri Oct 24, 2025