SuperlativesSuperlatives

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In English, you form superlatives by using the phrases “the mostthe most” and “the leastthe least” or by adding “thethe” before the adjective with “–est“–est” at the end.

Ana is the most beautiful the most beautiful girl in the class.

Juan is the tallest the tallest boy on the team.

Ejemplos:

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Ana es la (chica) más bonita de la clase. =

(Ana is the most beautiful (girl) in this class.)

In Spanish, you form superlatives

with this construction:

Ejemplo:

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definite article (+ noun) + más/menos + adjective (+ de)

Notice that chica (girl) is optional.

Juan es el (chico) más alto el (chico) más alto del equipo. =

(Juan is the tallest (boy) on the team.)

Ana y Juan son los (estudiantes) menos los (estudiantes) menos inteligentesinteligentes de la clase. =

(Ana y Juan are the least intelligent (students) in

the class.) Oprah es la mujer más rica la mujer más rica de los Estados Unidos. =

(Oprah is the richest woman in the United States.)

The adjective and the definite article match the noun in both gender and number.

Ejemplos:

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= (the best) = (the worst)= (the oldest)= (the youngest)

When you want to say “the best,” “the worst,” “the oldest” or “the

youngest,” use these irregular forms:

Ejemplos:

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el/la mejorel/la mejor el/la peorel/la peor el/la mayorel/la mayor el/la menorel/la menor

los/las mejoreslos/las mejores los/las peoreslos/las peores los/las mayoreslos/las mayores los/las menoreslos/las menores

Pablo es el mejor estudiante de la clase. =

(Pablo is the best student in the class.)

Susana es la mayor profesora del grupo. =

(Susana is the oldest in the group.)

Las canciones de Taylor Swift son las peores del mundo. =

(Taylor Swift’s songs are the worst

in the world.)

Remember that the article and the adjective must agree with what they

describe. Ejemplos:

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Cristina es la mejor estudiante de la escuelala mejor estudiante de la escuela. = (Cristina is the best student in the school.)

Esa es la peor novelala peor novela. = (That is the worst novel.)

The irregular forms mejor and peor usually come before the noun, and

the irregular forms mayor and menor

follow the noun.

Note:

Ejemplos:

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Victoria es la hermana mayorla hermana mayor. = (Victoria is the oldest sister.)

Paco es el menor de la claseel menor de la clase. = (Paco is the youngest in the class.)

Más ejemplos:

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Esta clase es buenísimaísima. = (This class is really good.)

La mujer es bellísimaísima. = (The women is very beautiful.)

El libro es aburridísimoísimo. = (The book is very boring.)

Los elefantes son grandísimosísimos. = (The elephants are really big.)

adjective + adjective + ísimo/a/os/asísimo/a/os/asAnother way to express extremes is to add

the suffix ísimo/a/os/as to the adjective.

Ejemplos:

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Notice that the adjective agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies.

Notice that the adjective agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies.

guapo → guapísimo (most handsome)

If the adjective ends in a consonant, add the suffix to the singular form.

If the adjective ends in a vowel, drop the final vowel

before adding the suffix.

fácil → facilísimo (very easy)

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Ejemplo:

Ejemplo:

When the last consonant of the adjective is c, g or z, the

spelling of the adjective changes.

c → qu simpático → simpatiquísimo (very nice)

g → gu

largo → larguísimo (extremely long)

z → c feliz → felicísimo (very happy)

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Ejemplos:

Ejemplos:

El Sr. López es un hombre guapísimoguapísimo. = (Mr. López is a very handsome man.)

El flan es un postre riquísimoriquísimo. = (“Flan” is an extremely delicious dessert.)

El libro es interesantísimointeresantísimo. = (The book is very interesting.) Los ejercicios son dificilísimosdificilísimos. =

(The exercises are extremely difficult.) Las chaquetas son carísimascarísimas. =

(The jackets are very expensive.)

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Esta chaqueta es la más linda

de la tienda.

Esta tienda es la más elegante

de Barcelona.

Tomás es el más alto de la

familia.

Es una película buenísima.

La pulsera es carísima.

This jacket is the prettiest

in the store.

This store is the most elegant

in Barcelona.

Tomás is the tallest in the

family.

It is an extremely good movie.

The bracelet is extremely

expensive.

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Written by:

Suzanne Rutkowski Gianna Mrozek

Additional Information by: Adriana Miretti

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