meer/mees + Adjective
More and Most: Meer and Mees
Some longer adjectives use meer (more) and mees (most) instead of -er and -ste: meer ontspanne (more relaxed), die mees gewilde sanger (the most popular singer).
How It Works
1. Which words use meer and mees?
- Longer adjectives ending in -e: tevrede (satisfied) → meer tevrede; ontspanne (relaxed) → meer ontspanne; ervare (experienced) → meer ervare.
- Adjectives made from verbs, such as those in -ende: die mees opwindende dag (the most exciting day). See the -ende participle.
2. Some words go either way. Gewild (popular) can be gewilder, gewildste or meer gewild, mees gewild. Both are correct.
3. Short words keep -er and -ste. Everyday adjectives such as groot, mooi and koud use -er and -ste: groter, die mooiste.
4. Never both. Use one method only. Die mees mooiste and meer groter are wrong.
5. Mees before a noun. Before a noun, mees comes after die and the adjective usually takes -e: die mees gewilde sanger. Than is as: Sy is nou meer tevrede as voorheen. (See as for than.)
Tip: Do not mix up mees with meeste. Die meeste means most of, for amounts: die meeste mense (most people).
Examples (5)
- Ek voel nou baie meer ontspanne.
I feel much more relaxed now.
Word by Word: I feel now much more relaxed.
- Hy is die mees gewilde sanger in die land.
He is the most popular singer in the country.
Word by Word: He is the most popular singer in the land.
- Sy is nou meer tevrede as voorheen.
She is more satisfied now than before.
Word by Word: She is now more satisfied than before.
Tevrede already ends in -e, so it compares with meer.
- Dit was die mees opwindende dag van my lewe.
That was the most exciting day of my life.
Word by Word: It was the most exciting day of my life.
- Die meer ervare spelers help die jonger spelers.
The more experienced players help the younger players.
Word by Word: The more experienced players help the younger players.
Ervare uses meer, while the short word jonk simply becomes jonger.
Common Mistakes
Using mees and -ste together.
Sy is die mees mooiste meisie in die klas.Sy is die mooiste meisie in die klas.Use only one method. Mooi is short, so it just adds -ste.
Using meer with a short everyday adjective.
My huis is meer groot as joune.My huis is groter as joune.Short adjectives such as groot take -er. Meer is for longer adjectives such as tevrede.
Using meeste instead of mees before an adjective.
Hy is die meeste gewilde sanger.Hy is die mees gewilde sanger.Before an adjective the word is mees. Meeste means most of, for amounts, as in die meeste mense.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Some adjectives form the comparative and superlative with meer and mees.
Related Patterns
- Comparative -er
The usual way to compare, used by most short adjectives.
Level 2 - Irregular Comparisons
Meer and meeste are also the forms of baie, much or many.
Level 2 - as (Than)Than: As
As means than after meer + adjective.
Level 2 - -ende (Participle)The -ende Participle
Adjectives in -ende usually compare with meer and mees.
Level 4 - Participles Before Nouns: gekookte, gesteelde
Adjectives made from verbs often use meer and mees.
Level 3
Words in This Pattern
Practice meer/mees + Adjective in Bubblegum
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