A2~30 min

Comparatives and Superlatives

De vergrotende en overtreffende trap

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Exam relevant: This topic is covered in the Inburgeringsexamen. You're studying at the required exam level.

Forming the Comparative

To form the comparative in Dutch, add -er to the adjective. Use "dan" (than) for comparisons.

The comparative (vergrotende trap) is formed by adding -er to the base form of the adjective. The same Dutch spelling rules that apply when adding -e to adjectives also apply here: double vowels may be shortened, double consonants may be added, etc. After the comparative, use "dan" (than) to introduce the thing being compared.

Adjective	Meaning	Comparative	Example
groot	big/tall	groter	Hij is groter dan ik.
klein	small	kleiner	Deze kamer is kleiner dan die kamer.
mooi	beautiful	mooier	Dit schilderij is mooier dan dat.
duur	expensive	duurder	De trein is duurder dan de bus.
oud	old	ouder	Mijn broer is ouder dan ik.
snel	fast	sneller	De auto is sneller dan de fiets.
lang	long/tall	langer	Haar haar is langer dan mijn haar.
belangrijk	important	belangrijker	Gezondheid is belangrijker dan geld.

Regular comparative forms

Hij is groter dan ik.

He is taller than me.

Amsterdam is groter dan Utrecht.

Amsterdam is bigger than Utrecht.

Deze taak is moeilijker dan ik dacht.

This task is more difficult than I thought.

Unlike English, Dutch always adds -er to the adjective, even for long adjectives. There is no equivalent of "more + adjective". For example: "belangrijker" (more important), not "meer belangrijk".

Forming the Superlative

To form the superlative, add -st or -ste to the adjective. Use "het" before the superlative when it stands alone, and -ste when it comes before a noun.

The superlative (overtreffende trap) is formed by adding -st to the base adjective. When the superlative comes before a noun, it gets -ste (with the adjectival -e ending). When it stands alone as a predicate with "het", it can be -st or -ste. If the adjective already ends in -s, only add -t for the superlative.

Adjective	Comparative	Superlative (predicative)	Superlative (before noun)
groot	groter	het grootst(e)	de/het grootste
klein	kleiner	het kleinst(e)	de/het kleinste
mooi	mooier	het mooist(e)	de/het mooiste
duur	duurder	het duurst(e)	de/het duurste
snel	sneller	het snelst(e)	de/het snelste
belangrijk	belangrijker	het belangrijkst(e)	de/het belangrijkste

Comparative and superlative forms

Dit is het mooiste boek.

This is the most beautiful book.

Zij is de snelste loper van de klas.

She is the fastest runner in the class.

Welke stad is het grootst?

Which city is the biggest?

Irregular Comparatives and Superlatives

Some common adjectives have irregular comparative and superlative forms that must be memorized.

Just like in English (good, better, best), Dutch has several adjectives with irregular comparative and superlative forms. These are among the most commonly used adjectives, so learning them is essential.

Adjective	Meaning	Comparative	Superlative
goed	good	beter	best(e)
veel	much/many	meer	meest(e)
weinig	little/few	minder	minst(e)
graag	gladly/willingly	liever	het liefst(e)

Irregular comparatives and superlatives

Zij is beter in wiskunde dan ik.

She is better at math than me.

Ik heb meer ervaring dan hij.

I have more experience than he does.

Ik drink liever thee dan koffie.

I prefer to drink tea over coffee.

"Liever" literally means "more gladly".

Dit is het beste restaurant van de stad.

This is the best restaurant in the city.

Hij heeft de minste fouten gemaakt.

He made the fewest mistakes.

Common Mistakes

✗Hij is goeder dan zij.

✓Hij is beter dan zij.

"Goed" is irregular. The comparative form is "beter", not "goeder".

✗Ik heb meer veel boeken.

✓Ik heb meer boeken.

"Meer" already IS the comparative of "veel". Do not combine them.

✗Dit is meer belangrijk.

✓Dit is belangrijker.

In Dutch, always use the -er suffix for comparatives. Do not use "meer" + adjective as in English "more important".

✗Hij is groter als ik.

✓Hij is groter dan ik.

In comparisons, always use "dan" (than), not "als". "Als" means "if/when" or is used in the pattern "even ... als" (as ... as).

Comparisons in the Workplace

Workplace Context

Scenario: Comparatives and superlatives are essential for discussing performance, priorities, and making decisions at work. You will use them in meetings, evaluations, and reports.

Dit project is belangrijker dan het andere.

This project is more important than the other one.

Zij is de beste manager van het team.

She is the best manager on the team.

We moeten een snellere oplossing vinden.

We need to find a faster solution.

Dit is de goedkoopste optie.

This is the cheapest option.

Heeft u een beter voorstel?

Do you have a better proposal?

The pattern "even ... als" means "as ... as" and is used for equal comparisons: "Dit project is even belangrijk als dat project." (This project is as important as that project.)