Comparing things, this is bigger, that is the best, comes up the moment you shop, decide, or give an opinion. Dutch makes it easy: mostly you just add -er and -st, much like English, with a short list of irregulars to learn.
Comparatives: add -er
To say “more ___”, add -er to the adjective:
| Adjective | Comparative |
|---|---|
| groot (big) | groter |
| klein (small) | kleiner |
| mooi (beautiful) | mooier |
| snel (fast) | sneller |
Crucially, long adjectives keep the -er too in Dutch, where English switches to “more”: interessant to interessanter (not “meer interessant”). Dutch grammar references stress this difference.
Watch the spelling rules: a long vowel stays single (groot to groter, not “grootter”), a short vowel doubles the consonant (dik to dikker), and adjectives ending in -r add -der (lekker to lekkerder).
”Than”: use dan
For “than”, use dan:
- Deze is groter dan die. (This one is bigger than that one.)
- Koffie is lekkerder dan thee. (Coffee is nicer than tea.)
In casual speech you will hear groter als…, but dan is the standard, correct form after a comparative, so use dan in writing. Onze Taal covers the long-running dan-vs-als debate.
”As … as”: even … als
For equality (as … as), use even … als or net zo … als:
- Zij is even lang als haar zus. (She’s as tall as her sister.)
- Het is net zo duur als gisteren. (It’s just as expensive as yesterday.)
Superlatives: add -st
To say “the most ___”, add -st:
| Adjective | Superlative |
|---|---|
| groot | grootst |
| mooi | mooist |
| snel | snelst |
Before a noun it takes the -e and an article (following adjective-ending rules): de grootste auto, het mooiste huis. Standing alone it takes het: Deze is het grootst (this one is biggest). Long adjectives also take -st (interessantst), not “most interesting”.
The irregulars (learn these)
A short, very common list:
| Adjective | Comparative | Superlative |
|---|---|---|
| goed (good) | beter | best |
| veel (much) | meer | meest |
| weinig (little) | minder | minst |
| graag (gladly) | liever | liefst |
So het beste (the best), meer tijd (more time), and the very useful Ik drink liever thee (I’d rather drink tea) and Het liefst blijf ik thuis (Most of all I’d like to stay home). The Taalunie advice service lists these irregular forms.
Where it connects
Comparatives sit with adjective endings, spelling rules, and the everyday job of giving your opinion. They are handy when decoding which supermarket deal is really cheaper.
The bottom line
Add -er for comparatives (groter) and -st for superlatives (grootst, het grootst, de grootste), even on long adjectives. Use dan for “than” and even … als for “as … as”. Learn the irregulars goed-beter-best, veel-meer-meest, weinig-minder-minst, graag-liever-liefst, mind the spelling, and you can compare anything in Dutch.
Learn it in five minutes a day
Learn Dutch For Expats is an app, available on the App Store, that drills comparing things in real sentences, groter dan, even groot als, het beste, in five-minute situation-based lessons, so comparatives and superlatives come out right when you shop, decide and discuss.
Frequently asked questions
How do you form comparatives in Dutch?
Add -er to the adjective: groot (big) to groter (bigger), klein to kleiner, mooi to mooier. For ‘than’ you use dan: Deze is groter dan die (this one is bigger than that one). Dutch spelling rules apply, so a long vowel keeps single (groter, not grootter) and short vowels double the consonant (dik to dikker). Adjectives ending in -r add -der (lekker to lekkerder).
How do you form superlatives in Dutch?
Add -st to the adjective: groot to grootst, mooi to mooist. Before a noun it takes an -e and the article: de grootste auto, het mooiste huis. On its own you use het: Deze is het grootst (this one is biggest). Long adjectives also take -st in Dutch (interessantst), unlike English which would say ‘most interesting’. The main irregulars are beste (best), meeste (most) and minste (least).
Is it ‘dan’ or ‘als’ for comparisons in Dutch?
Strictly, use dan for ‘than’ after a comparative (groter dan, beter dan) and als for ‘as … as’ equality (even groot als, net zo groot als). So Hij is groter dan ik and Zij is even lang als haar zus. In everyday speech many Dutch people say groter als, but dan is the standard, correct form for a comparative, so use dan to be safe in writing and exams.
What is the best app to learn Dutch comparatives and superlatives?
Learn Dutch For Expats, an app available on the App Store, is the best pick because it drills comparing things in real situations, groter dan, even groot als, het beste, plus the irregulars like goed-beter-best, in five-minute lessons, so you can shop, choose and give opinions with the right forms.
