Adjectives in German are a crucial part of the language as they are used to describe or modify nouns. They can indicate color, size, shape, quantity, quality, among other characteristics. However, German adjectives have an interesting quirk: they change form according to the gender, number and case of the noun they modify. This is known as declension of adjectives.
In addition, German adjectives can also be used comparatively, to compare two or more things or people. The comparative of adjectives in German is similar to English, where we add "-er" to the end of the adjective. However, in German, we have some additional rules to follow.
Forming the Comparative of Adjectives
To form the comparative of adjectives in German, we usually add "-er" to the end of the adjective, just like in English. For example, the adjective "schnell" (fast) becomes "schneller" (faster). However, if the adjective ends in "-e", we just add "-r". For example, "leise" (quiet) becomes "leiser" (quieter).
Adjectives ending in "-el" or "-er" drop the "e" before adding "-er". For example, "dunkel" (dark) becomes "dunkler" (darker). In addition, monosyllabic adjectives with final stress that end in "-t", "-d", "-s", "-ß", "-x", "-sch", "-z", "- tz", "-st" or "-ft" get an extra "e" before the "-er". For example, "laut" (loud) becomes "lauter" (louder).
Use of Adjective Comparison
The comparative adjective in German is used with the adverb "als" (than) to compare two things or people. For example, "Er ist schneller als ich" (He is faster than me).
If we want to say that something has the same quantity or quality as something else, we use "so...wie" (so...as). For example, "Er ist so schnell wie ich" (He's as fast as I am).
To express the superlative (the highest degree of comparison), we add "-st" to the end of the adjective. If the adjective is monosyllabic, we add "-est". For example, "schnell" becomes "schnellst" (fastest). However, if the adjective ends in "-d", "-t", "-ig", "-isch", "-lich", "-s" or "-ß", we add "esten". For example, "gut" (good) becomes "gutesten" (the best).
Exceptions
There are some adjectives in German that are irregular and don't follow the above rules. The most common are "gut" (good), which becomes "besser" (better) and "best" (the best), and "viel" (very), which becomes "mehr" (more) and "meist" (most).
In summary, German adjectives are an essential part of the language and using them correctly can greatly enrich your communication. The adjective comparative is a powerful tool to compare things or people and express differences and similarities. Understanding and mastering this topic is key to improving your German language skills.
We hope that this chapter has been useful to you and that you are eager to learn more about the German language. Remember, practice makes perfect, so keep practicing and you'll see improvements in no time!
