Superlatives - the best, worst, most, & least

Overview

In general, there are three ways to compare nouns: the comparison of equality (as...as), the
comparison of inequality (more/less than), and the superlative (the most/least). This reference
describes the last form of the comparisons, superlatives, how to form it, and when to use it.

Superlatives with   Adjectives

Superlatives indicate the maximum amount of an adjective, usually described as "the most" or
"the least" of something. To form the superlative in Spanish, you will use a formula very similar
to that of comparisons of inequality except that you will use the definite article.

el/la + menos + adjective + de (least of) OR

el/la + más + adjective + de (most of)

 Mi hermano es la persona menos responsable de la familia. (My brother is the least responsible person of
the family.)
 Mi madre es la más inteligente de la familia. (My mother is the most intelligent person of the family.)

For adjectives that have single word comparisons (mal - peor, grande - mayor, etc.), you do not
need to use más or menos.

el/la + adjective + de

 Mi padre es el mayor de sus hermanos. (My father is the oldest of his brothers.)
 Esta película es la mejor de todas. (This movie is the best of all of them.)

Comparison  Superlative 

mayor older el/la mayor the oldest

mayor bigger/larger el/la mayor the biggest/largest

menor younger el/la menor the youngest

peor worse el/la peor the worst

mejor better el/la mejor the best

Short Superlatives

You can also form a superlative by adding -ísimo(s) or ísima(s) to an adjective and even some
adverbs. This can translate to mean very, really, extremely, super, or any other ultimate word you
can think of.
  ¡Esa comida es buenísima! (This food is the best!)
 Estoy encantadísimo. (I am extremely delighted.)
 Las chicas allí son bellísimas. (Those girls over there are really beautiful.)
 Los abogados estan ocupadísimos. (The lawyers are super busy.)
 ¡Llegaste tardísimo! (You arrived super late!)
 Caminas despacísimo. (You walk extremely slowly.)

Irregular Superlatives

Below you will find a chart of the most common irregular adjectives when it comes to the
ísimo/a superlatives.

Adjective Superlative

cómico funny comiquísimo hilarious

blanco white blanquísimo bright white

fresco fresh fresquísimo super fresh

largo long larguísimo very long

amargo bitter amarguísimo really bitter

antiguo old antiquísimo very old

agradable nice agradabilísimo super nice

feliz happy felicísimo extremely happy

caliente hot calentísimo really hot

Also adjectives which end in -ble tend to change to -bil- in the base before adding -ísimo.

 agradable → agradabilísimo
 amable → amabilísimo
 notable → notabilísimo
 miserable → misirabilísimo

Many qualitative adjectives that have an /r/ in their last syllable do not always take the -ísimo/-
ísima ending, but instead replace the final -r with -érrimo/-érrima.

 acre → acérrimo
 célebre → celebérrimo
 libre → lebérrima
 mísero → misérrimo
 salubre → salubérrima

The suffix usually changes to -císimo/císima when the adjective ends in an -n, -dor, -or. 

 inferior  → inferiorcísimo
 hablador  →  habladorcísimo
 joven  → jovencísimo