Mein Hund ist schneller als dein Hund.
English: My dog is faster than your dog.
- Language
- German
- Level
- A2
- Unit
- Adjektive und Vergleich
- Practice types
- 0
What this grammar point covers
The 'Komparativ' in German is used to compare two things, showing that one has more of a certain quality than the other (like 'bigger', 'faster').
When to use it
Use the Komparativ to compare two people, things, or situations. It shows that one is more (or less) than the other.
Key forms
- Most adjectives: Add '-er' to the adjective. Example: schnell → schneller.
- If the adjective has one syllable, often add an umlaut (if possible). Example: alt → älter.
- To compare, use 'als'. Example: Peter ist größer als Anna.
Examples
Anna ist jünger als Maria.
English: Anna is younger than Maria.
Dieses Buch ist interessanter als das andere.
English: This book is more interesting than the other one.
Der Test war schwerer als gestern.
English: The test was harder than yesterday.
Tips
- Always use 'als' (not 'wie') when comparing two things with the Komparativ.
- Remember to add an umlaut for many one-syllable adjectives (groß → größer, alt → älter).
- Do not use 'mehr' with regular adjectives (say 'schneller', not 'mehr schnell').
Exceptions and edge cases
- Some adjectives have irregular forms: gut → besser, viel → mehr, hoch → höher.
- Adjectives ending in '-el' or '-er' drop the 'e' before adding '-er': dunkel → dunkler.