Superlative adjectives show that something has the greatest or least degree of a quality.
Two Types
There are two ways to form superlatives in Spanish:
- Absolute superlative — expresses the idea of “very” or “extremely” something.
- Relative superlative — expresses the idea of “the most” or “the best” compared to others.
Absolute Superlative
The absolute superlative means “very” or “extremely” [adjective].
Formation
- Add the suffix -ísimo (masculine) / -ísima (feminine) to the adjective.
- Make sure to agree in gender (and number if needed).
Examples
| Spanish Superlative |
|---|
| altísimo |
| English Translation |
| Adjective |
| alto |
Plurals
| Spanish Superlative |
|---|
| altísimos |
| English Translation |
| Adjective |
| altos |
Spelling Changes
Some adjectives undergo spelling changes to maintain pronunciation:
- -car → -quísimo (e.g., típico → tipiquísimo)
- -gar → -guísimo (e.g., largo → larguísimo)
- -z → -císimo (e.g., feliz → felicísimo)
Example Sentences
| Spanish Sentence |
|---|
| La casa es grandísima. |
| English Translation |
Relative Superlative
The relative superlative means “the most” [adjective] or “the -est” (in English).
Formation
- Use the formula: el/la/los/las + [noun] + más/menos + [adjective]
- This compares one thing to all others in a group.
Examples
| Spanish Superlative |
|---|
| altísimo |
| English Translation |
| Adjective |
| alto |
Definite Articles
Use el, la, los, las to agree with the noun being described.
Example Sentences
| Spanish Sentence |
|---|
| La casa es grandísima. |
| English Translation |
Irregular Superlatives
Some adjectives have irregular superlative forms (they do not use más/menos).
Common Irregulars
| English Translation | |
|---|---|
| Adjective | Superlative |
| bueno | el/la mejor |
Example Sentences
| Spanish Sentence |
|---|
| La casa es grandísima. |
| English Translation |
Summary
- Absolute superlative = adjective + -ísimo/a (means “very/extremely”)
- Relative superlative = el/la/los/las + más/menos + adjective (means “the most/least”)
- Some adjectives have irregular superlative forms (e.g., mejor, peor).
Superlatives are used to emphasize the highest degree of a quality, either absolutely or in comparison to others.
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Last updated: Thu Jul 17, 2025