The comparative (Komparativ) in German is an extremely important part of knowledge that learners need to master. The Komparativ is the comparative form of adjectives (Adjektiv) or adverbs (Adverb) in German. Some learners of German often confuse how adjectives are inflected in comparative structures. Today's article will clarify the rules and the use of the Komparativ.

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1. How to turn an adjective into the Komparativ

a) Most adjectives and adverbs take the ending -er when turned into the comparative form. For example:

frisch → frischer

hell → heller

schön → schöner

b) Adjectives or adverbs with one syllable that contain the vowel a, o, u take an Umlaut when turned into the comparative form.

alt → älter

groß → größer

jung → jünger

c) Adjectives or adverbs ending in -el drop the e and add -er when turned into the comparative form.

sensibel → sensibler

dunkel → dunkler

flexibel → flexibler

d) Adjectives or adverbs ending in -er preceded by a vowel (a, e, i, o, u) simply drop the e and add -er when turned into the comparative form.

teuer →teurer

sauer → saurer

e) Some SPECIAL cases:

gut → besser

viel → mehr

gern → lieber

hoch → höher

2. The comparative structure with als

- When we want to compare two things or actions with each other, we use the comparative structure Komparativ with als.

- Structure: S1 + V + Adj/Adv (Komparativ) + als + S2 + (V).

S1 and S2 are the two objects being compared. S1 and S2 are both in Nominativ.

Examples:

Meine Tochter studiert besser als ich.

(My older sister studies better than I do.)

Das Tablet ist billiger als der Laptop.

(The tablet is cheaper than the laptop.)

!!! We can use the structure with aber instead of the structure with als:

Deine Wohnung ist schöner als seine Wohnung.

(Your apartment is nicer than his apartment.)

= Seine Wohnung ist schön, aber deine Wohnung ist schöner.

(His apartment is nice, but your apartment is even nicer.)