A2.17 - Visiting friends

Absolute superlative: -ísimo/-ísima

Superlative absolute: -ísimo/-ísima

Se usa para expresar un grado muy alto de una cualidad.

(It is used to express a very high degree of a quality.)

What you’re learning: the absolute superlative (-ísimo/-ísima)

Use -ísimo/-ísima to say “extremely / incredibly / really” with an adjective.

  • llena → llenísima = extremely full
  • buena → buenísima = incredibly good
  • interesante → interesantísimo = extremely interesting

It’s stronger and more expressive than muy + adjective.

Step-by-step: how to form it

  1. Start with the adjective (dictionary form).
  2. Add -ísimo (masculine) or -ísima (feminine).
  3. Make it agree in gender and number.
Base adjective Absolute superlative Agreement reminder
divertido divertidísimo matches plan (m. sing.)
divertida divertidísima matches fiesta (f. sing.)
contentos contentísimos matches a masculine plural group
fáciles facilísimas matches a feminine plural noun (e.g., reglas)

Spelling changes you must watch for (-co/-go/-z)

Some adjectives change spelling to keep the pronunciation.

  • -co → -quísimo: rico → riquísimo
  • -go → -guísimo: largo → larguísimo
  • -z → -císimo: feliz → felicísimo

Self-check: if you see c / g / z at the end, ask: “Do I need qu/gu/c to keep the sound?”

If the adjective ends in a vowel: drop it

If the adjective ends in -o / -a / -e, remove that final vowel before adding -ísimo/-ísima.

  • lleno → llen- + ísimo → llenísimo
  • interesante → interesant- + ísimo → interesantísimo

Common mistake:

  • interesanteísimo → interesantísimo

Accents (tildes): where they go, and what can disappear

  • The superlative ending always carries the stress: -ísimo/-ísima (with í).
  • If the original adjective has an accent, it is often removed in the superlative.
Base Correct Incorrect
fácil facilísimo fácilísimo
tarde tardísimo tardisimo

-ble adjectives: use -bilísimo

With adjectives ending in -ble, Spanish typically uses -bilísimo.

  • amable → amabilísimo
  • posible → posibilísimo

How to use it naturally in sentences (and what to avoid)

  • Typical patterns: estar + adjective, ser + adjective, parecer + adjective.

Natural examples:

  • La sala estaba llenísima de gente.
  • La comida estaba buenísima.
  • El proyecto me pareció interesantísimo.

Avoid in this topic: don’t stack intensifiers.

  • muy buenísima → buenísima
  • muy interesantísimo → interesantísimo

Quick final checklist (before you answer)

  • Did I choose -ísimo / -ísima / -ísimos / -ísimas to match the noun?
  • If it ends in -o/-a/-e, did I drop the vowel first?
  • If it ends in -co/-go/-z, did I apply qu/gu/c?
  • Did I include the accent on í?
  • Did I avoid muy with the superlative?
  1. It is formed by adding -ísimo or -ísima to adjectives.
  2. If the adjective ends in -co or -go or -z , it changes to -quísimo or -guísimo or -císimo.
Adjetivo (Adjective)Superlativo absoluto (Absolute superlative)Ejemplo (Example)
LlenoLlenísimaLa sala estaba llenísima de risas. (The living room was completely full of laughter.)
BuenoBuenísimaLa comida estaba buenísima y bien servida. (The food was really good and well served.)
ContentoContentísimosLos niños estaban contentísimos jugando. (The children were very happy playing.)
InteresanteInteresantísimoEl parque nos pareció interesantísimo. (The park seemed really interesting to us.)
DivertidoDivertidísimaLa fiesta era divertidísima. Todos estaban bailando. (The party was so much fun. Everyone was dancing.)
LargoLarguísimoEl ajedrez fue larguísimo de terminar. (The chess game took forever to finish.)
FácilFacilísimasLas reglas eran facilísimas de entender. (The rules were very easy to understand.)

Exceptions!

  1. If the adjective ends in a vowel, remove the final vowel before adding -ísimo/-ísima.
  2. If -ísimo or -ísima is added to an adjective with an accent mark (tilde) on the stem, the accent mark must be removed. For example, fácil becomes facilísimo.
  3. If the adjective ends in -ble, it changes to -bilísimo.

Exercise 1: Multiple choice

Instruction: Choose the correct answer

1. La tarta de chocolate estaba ____, pero ya no queda nada.

The chocolate cake was ____, but there’s nothing left now.

2. Cuando llegamos, la sala estaba ____ de gente y casi no podíamos pasar.

When we arrived, the room was ____ with people and we could hardly get through.

3. El ajedrez fue ____ y terminamos muy tarde, después de la sobremesa.

The chess game was ____ and we finished very late, after lingering at the table.

4. Las reglas del juego eran ____, así que todos aprendimos en cinco minutos.

The rules of the game were ____, so we all learned in five minutes.

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct sentence with the absolute superlative (-ísimo/-ísima).

1.
“Muy” is not used with “-ísima” in these exercises: “buenísima” already expresses the maximum degree.
The accent mark is misplaced: it is “buenísima,” not “buenisíma”.
2.
The accent mark is missing: it should be “tardísimo,” not “tardisimo.”
Agreement: if you want to talk about the time we finished, the correct form would be singular if it is a single action (terminamos tardísimo) or keep the plural only if there is a plural subject that requires it; moreover, the repetition should sound natural.

Exercise 3: Rewrite the phrases

Instruction: Rewrite the sentences by replacing the adjective with its absolute superlative using -ísimo/-ísima/-ísimos/-ísimas (e.g.: bueno → buenísimo).

Show/Hide translation Show/Hide hints
  1. El curso de español es muy interesante.
    ⇒ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
    El curso de español es interesantísimo.
    (The Spanish course is extremely interesting.)
  2. La sala de reuniones está muy llena hoy.
    ⇒ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
    La sala de reuniones está llenísima hoy.
    (The meeting room is absolutely packed today.)
  3. Tus explicaciones son muy fáciles de entender.
    ⇒ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
    Tus explicaciones son facilísimas de entender.
    (Your explanations are extremely easy to understand.)
  4. El partido fue muy largo.
    ⇒ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
    El partido fue larguísimo.
    (The match was extremely long.)

Exercise 4: Grammar in action

Instruction: In pairs, describe the visit using adjectives ending in -ísimo/-ísima.

Show/Hide translation
Situation
Vas a casa de unos amigos y describís cómo fue la reunión.
(You go to some friends’ house and describe what the get-together was like.)
Discuss
  • ¿Qué llevaste para regalar? Describe el ramo o la tarta con -ísimo. (What did you bring as a gift? Describe the bouquet or the cake with -ísimo.)
  • ¿Cómo estaba la comida y el aperitivo? ¿Qué fue buenísimo? ¿Por qué? (How was the food and the appetizer? What was really delicious? Why?)
Useful words and phrases
  • El aperitivo estaba buenísimo. (The appetizer was really delicious.)
  • La sobremesa fue larguísima con café. (The after-dinner chat was really long, with coffee.)
  • Hicimos un brindis con cava, estábamos contentísimos. (We made a toast with cava; we were really happy.)
Use in conversation
  • estaba + adjetivo + -ísimo/-ísima (it was + adjective + -ísimo/-ísima)
  • nos pareció + adjetivo + -ísimo/-ísima (we thought it was + adjective + -ísimo/-ísima)

Written by

This content has been designed and reviewed by the coLanguage pedagogical team: About coLanguage

Profile Picture

Alessia Calcagni

Languages for communication in international enterprises and organizations

Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia

University_Logo

Last Updated:

Wednesday, 15/04/2026 11:29