Learn how to form the superlative absolute in Spanish by adding -ísimo/-ísima to adjectives like bueno (buenísima) and fácil (facilísimas). Master spelling changes for adjectives ending in -co, -go, and -z, and practice expressing extreme qualities clearly and correctly.
- It is formed by adding -ísimo or -ísima to adjectives.
- If the adjective ends in -co or -go or -z, it changes to -quísimo or -guísimo or -císimo.
- The plural is formed by adding -ísimos or -ísimas
| Adjetivo (Adjective) | Superlativo absoluto (Absolute superlative) | Ejemplo (Example) |
|---|---|---|
| Lleno | Llenísima | La sala estaba llenísima de risas. (The room was full to bursting with laughter.) |
| Bueno | Buenísima | La comida estaba buenísima y bien servida. (The food was delicious and well served.) |
| Contento | Contentísimos | Los niños estaban contentísimos jugando. (The children were very happy playing.) |
| Interesante | Interesantísimo | El parque nos pareció interesantísimo. (The park seemed very interesting to us.) |
| Divertido | Divertidísima | La fiesta era divertidísima. Todos estaban bailando. (The party was super fun. Everyone was dancing.) |
| Largo | Larguísimo | El ajedrez fue larguísimo de terminar. (Chess was very long to finish.) |
| Fácil | Facilísimas | Las reglas eran facilísimas de entender. (The rules were very easy to understand.) |
Exceptions!
- If the adjective ends in a vowel, remove the final vowel before adding -ísimo/-ísima.
- If you add -ísimo or -ísima to an adjective with an accent in the root, you must remove the accent. For example, fácil becomes facilísimo.
- If the adjective ends in -ble, it changes to -bilísimo.
Exercise 1: Superlative absolute: -ísimo/-ísima
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
calentísimo, contentísimos, bellísimo, larguísima, llenísima, divertidísima, interesantísimo, buenísima
1.
Buena:
: Los invitados dijeron que la comida estaba ... y muy bien servida.
(The guests said that the food was absolutely delicious and very well served.)
2.
Contentos:
: En la fiesta, los niños estaban ... jugando al parchís hasta tarde.
(At the party, the children were absolutely delighted playing parcheesi until late.)
3.
Llena:
: Después del juego, la sala estaba ... de risas y voces.
(After the game, the room was absolutely full of laughter and voices.)
4.
Interesante:
: El parque de atracciones nos pareció ..., sobre todo de noche.
(The amusement park seemed extremely interesting to us, especially at night.)
5.
Bello:
: Cuando abrí el regalo, me pareció ... y hecho con mucho cuidado.
(When I opened the gift, it seemed absolutely beautiful and made with great care.)
6.
Divertida:
: La tarta tenía forma de ajedrez y era ... para los niños.
(The cake was chessboard-shaped and was great fun for the children.)
7.
Caliente:
: Aunque era tarde, el café seguía ... y tenía un aroma fuerte.
(Although it was late, the coffee was still piping hot and had a strong aroma.)
8.
Larga:
: La partida de ajedrez fue ... y todos estábamos muy atentos.
(The chess game was very long and we were all very attentive.)
Exercise 2: Multiple Choice
Instruction: Choose the correct sentence that uses the absolute superlative with '-ísimo/-ísima' following the rules of adjective formation and agreement.
1.
Gender error: 'dinner' is feminine, therefore the adjective must agree in feminine: 'deliciosísima'.
Error: an extra vowel was added to the superlative; the correct form ends in '-ísima', not '-ísiimaa'.
2.
Error: an extra 'a' was added at the end; the correct plural form is 'facilísimas'.
Error: the accent should not be kept in the absolute superlative formed from 'fácil'.
3.
Error: the correct superlative formation does not add 'os' before '-ísimos'.
Gender error: 'guests' is masculine plural, so the adjective must end in '-ísimos', not '-ísima'.
4.
Orthographic error: the letter 'u' is missing after the 'g' to maintain the correct sound; it must be 'larguísima'.
Orthographic error: the accent should not be on the 'i'; also, the correct form is 'larguísima'.
