Spanish Superlatives: Comprehensive Guide and Usage - Busuu (2024)

Absolute superlatives in Spanish: Using ísimo / a / os / as, muy, and sumamente

There are other superlative forms in Spanish known as absolute superlatives. Absolute superlatives are used to express extreme degrees of a quality without making a comparison to something else.

In English, this would sound like saying something or someone is “extremely / incredibly / very kind / interesting / fun etc”.

There are three different ways to do this. Let’s take a look!

1. Absolute superlative: Adjective + -ísimo/a/os/as

To form the absolute superlative this way, first, determine the gender and number of the adjective and then add the superlative ending that matches (-ísimo / a / os / as) directly to the end of the adjective. Be aware that if the adjective ends in a vowel, you will have to drop it to add the superlative ending.

• alt(o) + ísimo = altísimo (extremely tall, masculine singular)

• pequeñ(a) + ísima = pequeñísima (extremely small, feminine singular)

• important(e) + ísimo + importantísimos (extremely important, masculine plural)

Here are some examples of sentences using the absolute superlative:

• Ella es amabilísima con todos.(She is extremely kind to everyone.)

• El pastel estaba deliciosísimo. (The cake was incredibly delicious.)

• Mis abuelos son fortísimos. (My grandparents are extremely strong.)

Note: Here “fortísimo" changes its stem when forming the superlative from “fuerte”. There isn’t a rule for this, but you will find some adjectives that behave this way. It’s also normal and correct to use the regular form “fuertísimo” in colloquial Spanish as well.

2. Absolute superlative: muy + adjective

Another way to form absolute superlatives is by using muy (very) combined with an adjective. Again, make sure that the adjective and noun agree in number and gender.

Here are some examples:

• Esos libros son muy interesantes. (Those books are very interesting.)

• Esa ciudad es muy hermosa. (That city is very beautiful.)

3. Absolute superlative: sumamente + adjective

And lastly, another way to form the absolute superlative is by using sumamente (extremely/highly) combined with an adjective. As with the other absolute superlative forms, make sure that the noun and adjective agree in number and gender.

Here are some examples:

• La película fue sumamente emocionante. (The movie was extremely exciting.)

• Las actuaciones fueron sumamente cautivadoras.(The performances were extremely captivating.)

Spanish superlatives: Relative or absolute?

We’ve covered different ways to use superlatives in Spanish, so let’s clarify when to use them.

Context and personal preference may be a factor, but in general:

• Use the relative superlative structure “el / la / los / las + noun + más / menos + adjective” when comparing within a group or making a general superlative statement.

• Use the absolute superlative when emphasizing the extreme degree of a quality or attribute without making a comparison.

Another thing to consider is the region you are in. The adjective + -ísimo / a / os / as is commonly used throughout Spain, but less so in Latin American countries. ( Check out our article on the differences of Spanish used in Spain and Latin America)

In fact, some Latin American countries even use re or recontra + adjective (think of it like “super” + adjective) instead of the -ísimo / a / os / as endings, but we won’t dive into that here.

Spanish superlatives: Let’s wrap things up

We have covered a lot in this article, so let’s take a second to wrap everything up.

In Spanish, we use the relative superlative to demonstrate that something or someone has a quality or characteristic that surpasses others in the same category. We also use absolute superlatives to emphasize the extreme degree of a quality or characteristic of something without comparing it to something else.

To master Spanish superlatives, you’ll need to immerse yourself in a Spanish-speaking context, such as music or movies, and make sure that you continue to study with the help of articles like this one.

If you stay consistent, you’ll be speaking like a pro in no time.

¡Excelente trabajo!

Great work!