Grammar: Comparing Actions

Understanding Action Comparisons in German

In German, we often use comparatives and superlatives to compare actions.
The comparative form of an adjective is used to compare actions in terms of intensity or degree. They are typically formed by adding -er to the end of the adjective and “als” to make the comparison.
For example, “Ich esse schneller als er” (I eat faster than him).
The superlative form of an adjective is used to highlight the highest degree of something. It is typically formed by adding -st or -est to the end of the adjective and preceded by “am” or “ist”.
For instance, “Er läuft am schnellsten” (He runs the fastest).

The Structure of Comparative Sentences

Comparative sentences in German always follow the same structure: subject + verb + comparative adjective + als + comparison.
An example of this is “Sie arbeitet härter als ich” (She works harder than me).
The structure for superlative sentences is: subject + verb + am + superlative + noun.
An example is “Er ist am stärksten im Team” (He is the strongest in the team).

Irregular Comparisons

Some adjectives and adverbs in German have irregular comparative and superlative forms that you just need to memorise.
The adjectives “gut” (good), “besser” (better), “am besten” (the best) and “viel” (much), “mehr” (more), “am meisten” (the most) are examples of this.

Comparing Equal Actions

When you want to say that two actions are equal in their degree, you can use the expression “so… wie”.
For example: “Er kann so gut kochen wie seine Mutter” (He can cook as well as his mother).

Common Errors to Avoid

Ensure that the structure of the sentence is correct. Putting the “als” in the wrong place can change the sentence from comparative to a standard descriptive sentence.
Be careful to memorise the irregular comparative and superlative forms, as using the regular forms will be incorrect.
Make sure “so… wie” is used for comparisons of equality and not “als”.
Do not forget that the adjective must agree with the noun it modifies in gender, number and case.