Rules and usage
The comparative form compares two things or people, while the superlative identifies the highest or lowest degree among three or more. In German, these forms change the adjective and follow specific rules for spelling, pronunciation, and grammatical agreement depending on the context and the adjective itself.
When to Use the Comparative
- Use the comparative to compare two people, things, or actions: Mein Bruder ist größer als ich. (My brother is taller than I am.)
- The word als means "than" and always follows the comparative adjective: Diese Stadt ist schöner als jene. (This city is more beautiful than that one.)
- In questions, the comparative works the same way: Ist dein Auto schneller als meins? (Is your car faster than mine?)
- Negative comparisons also use this structure: Dieser Film ist nicht so interessant wie der andere. (This film is not as interesting as the other one.)
✅ Positive sentence examples
| German | English |
|---|
| Mein Auto ist schneller als deines. | My car is faster than yours. |
| Diese Stadt ist größer als jene Stadt. | This city is bigger than that city. |
⛔ Negative sentence examples
| German | English |
|---|
| Dein Zimmer ist nicht so sauber wie meins. | Your room is not as clean as mine. |
| Diese Jacke ist nicht teurer als jene. | This jacket is not more expensive than that one. |
❓ Question sentence examples
| German | English |
|---|
| Ist dein Haus größer als sein Haus? | Is your house bigger than his house? |
| Welcher Film ist interessanter? | Which film is more interesting? |