This was a resource I could not find anywhere else. List of Adjectives and their compartive and superlatives.
Comparitives and superlatives are words used to compare things and show which are “more” of or “the most” of something. For example:
| ADJECTIVE | COMPARITIVE | SUPERLATIVE | |
| English | cold | colder | coldest |
| Norsk | kald | kaldere | kaldest |
Which looks nice and simple and used in sentences is nice and simple; for this word.
- I am cold
- He is colder
- She is coldest
- She is colder than me.
In Norwegian that is:
- Jeg er kald
- Han er kaldere.
- Hun er kaldest
- Hun er kaldere enn meg.
Where it gets interesting is the same place it gets intersting in english. Where not all words follow the pattern above of adding ere and est to the adjective to form the compartive and superlative forms. For example:
| ADJECTIVE | COMPARITIVE | SUPERLATIVE | |
| English | good | better | best |
| Norsk | god | bedre | best |
| English | practical | more practical | most practical |
| Norsk | praktisk | mer praktisk | mest praktisk |
I thought there must be a list of these somewhere, but I looked in my text book and asked my teacher for a list and looked online and have not found one. So I have been collecting them as I come across them and making a full list I can refer to when I get stuck. People in clas have asked for copies of this so I thought I would put it up here for you too.
| ADJECTIVE | COMPARITIVE | SUPERLATIVE | English |
| absolutt | mer absolutt | mest absolutt | absolute |
| alvorlig | mer alvorlig / alvorligere | mest alvorlig / alvorligst | serious, earnest |
| bakkete | mer bakkete | mest bakkete | hilly |
| bekymringsverdig | mer bekymringsverdig | mest bekymringsverdig | – |
| blakk | blakkere | blakkest | pale, broke, penniless |
| blek | blekere | blekest | pale |
| bra | bedre | best | good, fine |
| få | færre | Færrest | few |
| fin | finere | finest | fine, choice |
| gammel | eldre | eldst | old |
| gjerne | heller | helst | gladly |
| god | bedre | best | good |
| grønn | grønnere | grønnest | green |
| ille | verre | verst | bad |
| interessant | mer interessant | mest interessant | interesting |
| kald | kaldere | kaldest | cold |
| kaotisk | mer kaotisk | mest kaotisk | chaotic |
| lang | langre lengre | lengst | long (distance) |
| lenge | lenger | lengst | long (time) |
| lett | lettere | lettest | light (weight) |
| levende | mer levende | mest levende | living |
| mange | flere | flest | many |
| morsom | morsommere | morsomst | funny |
| mye | mer | mest | more |
| opprørsk | mer opprørsk | mest opprørsk | rebellious |
| nye | nyere | nyeste | new |
| pen | penere | penest | pretty |
| praktisk | mer praktisk | mest praktisk | pratical |
| snill | snillere | snillest | kind |
| stor | større | størst | big |
| tung | tyngre | tyngst | heavy |
| ung | yngre | yngst | young |
| vond | verre | verst | painful |
| øverst | top, upper, highest |
This list is not everything. If you know some that are not here please let me know, and I will add them.
Remember to match the adjective with the gender of the noun it is describing.
I hope this list is as much help to you as it has been to me and my classmates.
Hi Michelle! I promised a few corrections some weeks ago, but I’ve been busy with work and feeling exhausted so it’s taken some time to come around to do this.
So – a few corretions for you. 🙂
Top of the page: it’s kald – kaldere – kaldest (forgot a ‘d’).
Next is: praktisk – mer praktisk – mest praktisk (we very rarely use ‘c’ in Norwegian).
And then the long list of adjectives:
Alvorlig – alvorligere – alvorligst
Blakk means broke (lack of money)
Lang – lengre – lengst
Praktisk – mer praktisk – mest praktisk (not double-k)
Tung – tyngre – tyngst
Great initiative on this blog! I’m sure it’s a great help for people struggling with Norwegian! 🙂
Tusen takk Nina for improving this post heaps. I have made the corrections you suggest.
Many thinks for taking the time to read this carefully and to write down those corrections. Your wonderful!
avoid ‘jeg er kald’ — it doesn’t mean that the temperature is affecting you == jeg fryser, it is more on an emotional / sexual comment.
Thank you Louis, good tip.