Comparatives and Superlatives

Swedish comparison works like English big, bigger, biggest, but with different endings and irregular forms.

Here is the basic pattern:

Many adjectives form the comparative with -are:

Long or style-sensitive adjectives often prefer the phrase form mer/mest instead — see What Can Go Wrong below.

Adjectives ending in weak -er, -el, or -en often drop the weak e:

Adjectives ending in -sam often double m:

The short form often uses -ast; the definite/plural form often uses -aste.

Use the long form in definite or plural contexts:

Some of the most useful adjectives are irregular. Learn them as a table.