bedre/bedst

Better / Best

Level 2

god (good) → bedre (better) → bedst (best)

How It Works

The adjective god is highly irregular in Danish. Instead of adding the usual suffixes to the root 'god-', it switches to a different root for its higher forms.

1. The Comparative: bedre
The form bedre (better) is invariable. This means it does not change regardless of whether the noun is common gender, neuter, or plural.

  • En bedre bil (A better car)
  • Et bedre hus (A better house)
  • Bedre tider (Better times)

2. The Superlative: bedst / bedste
The superlative follows standard rules for definite superlatives:

  • bedst: Used when the adjective is alone or after a verb (e.g., Han er bedst).
  • bedste: Used when there is a definite article (den/det/de), a possessive pronoun (min/din/hans...), or when the noun is plural.

Examples: den bedste film (the best movie), min bedste ven (my best friend), de bedste pladser (the best seats).

3. Pronunciation Note
Pronunciation is key for these forms:

  • bedre: The 'd' is a soft d (like the 'th' in 'mother').
  • bedst: The 'd' is silent. Unlike many Danish words ending in -st, bedst is pronounced with a short vowel and no stød (glottal stop).

Examples (4)

  1. Denne vin er bedre end den, vi fik i går.

    This wine is better than the one we had yesterday.

    Word by Word: This wine is better than the [one] we got in yesterday.

    Here, 'bedre' is used to compare two things using the word 'end' (than).

  2. Det er den bedste film, jeg nogensinde har set.

    It is the best movie I have ever seen.

    Word by Word: It is the best movie I ever have seen.

    Because of the definite article 'den', we add an -e to 'bedst' to get 'bedste'.

  3. Hvem er bedst til at spille skak?

    Who is best at playing chess?

    Word by Word: Who is best to to play chess?

    When 'bedst' is used as a predicate (after the verb), it stays in its base superlative form.

  4. Jeg kan bedre lide kaffe end te.

    I like coffee better than tea.

    Word by Word: I can better like coffee than tea.

    In the phrase 'kan lide' (to like), 'bedre' is used to express a higher degree of liking.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 'godere' or 'godest'.

    Denne kage er godere.
    Denne kage er bedre.

    Learners often try to apply regular rules to 'god', but 'godere' does not exist. You must use the irregular form 'bedre'.

  • Confusing 'bedre' with 'hellere'.

    Jeg vil bedre have vand.
    Jeg vil hellere have vand.

    'Bedre' refers to quality (better), while 'hellere' refers to preference (rather). Use 'hellere' when you want to say you would 'rather' have something.

  • Adding a -t to 'bedre' for neuter nouns.

    Et bedret resultat.
    Et bedre resultat.

    Unlike the positive form 'godt', the comparative 'bedre' is invariable and never takes a -t ending.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

bedre/bedstLevel 2Better / Best

Learn This First

The pattern 'bedre/bedst' is the irregular comparative and superlative form of the adjective 'god' (good). To understand it, learners should already be familiar with the general concept of comparing adjectives using suffixes, how adjectives change form in definite constructions, and how to use the verb 'to be' for descriptions.

Words in This Pattern

god