-er

Comparative Form

Level 2

In Dutch, the comparative is almost always formed by adding -er to the adjective, regardless of its length. Use dan to say 'than'.

How It Works

The comparative form shows that something has 'more' of a quality.

1. Basic Formation & Spelling
Add -er to the base. Follow spelling rules for open/closed syllables and consonant changes:

  • snel → sneller (double consonant)
  • groot → groter (single vowel)
  • lief → liever (f becomes v)
  • vies → viezer (s becomes z)
  • duur → duurder (add -der if the word ends in -r)

2. Irregular Forms
Some common adjectives have irregular forms:

  • goed → beter (better)
  • veel → meer (more)
  • weinig → minder (less)
  • graag → liever (rather/prefer)

3. Attributive Inflection
When the comparative is placed before a noun, it follows adjective inflection rules:

  • een snellere fiets (a faster bike - de-word)
  • het grotere huis (the larger house - het-word with definite article)
  • een groter huis (a larger house - no -e for het-words with 'een')

4. Comparing Things
Use dan for 'than' (unequal). Use als for 'as...as' (equal):

  • Hij is groter dan ik.
  • Hij is even groot als ik.

Examples (5)

  1. Deze auto is sneller dan de vorige.

    This car is faster than the previous one.

    Word by Word: This car is faster than the previous.

    The adjective 'snel' gets a double 'l' (sneller) to keep the vowel short.

  2. Mijn huis is groter dan jouw huis.

    My house is bigger than your house.

    Word by Word: My house is bigger than your house.

    The adjective 'groot' loses one 'o' (groter) because the syllable becomes open.

  3. Ik vind deze koffie lekkerder.

    I find this coffee tastier.

    Word by Word: I find this coffee tastier.

    Since 'lekker' ends in -r, we add -der instead of -er.

  4. Het wordt buiten steeds kouder.

    It is getting colder and colder outside.

    Word by Word: It becomes outside constantly colder.

    Using 'steeds' with a comparative indicates a continuing change.

  5. Dit boek is interessanter.

    This book is more interesting.

    Word by Word: This book is more interesting.

    Even long adjectives like 'interessant' use the -er suffix in Dutch.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 'meer' (more) for short adjectives like in English.

    Dit is meer snel.
    Dit is sneller.

    For most adjectives, Dutch adds -er to the end. 'Meer' is generally reserved for very long adjectives or those ending in -en (like 'meer ontspannen').

  • Using 'als' instead of 'dan' for unequal comparisons.

    Ik ben groter als jij.
    Ik ben groter dan jij.

    Use dan for 'than'. Use als only for equal comparisons (e.g., 'even groot als').

  • Forgetting the attributive -e ending.

    een groter auto
    een grotere auto

    If a comparative adjective comes before a noun, it usually needs an extra -e. However, remember that for het-words with een, the -e is omitted (e.g., 'een groter huis').

How It Connects

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

-erLevel 2Comparative Form

Learn This First

To learn the comparative form, you first need to understand basic adjective usage and Dutch spelling rules, as adding the '-er' suffix often triggers changes in vowel or consonant spelling. Additionally, knowing how to conjugate 'zijn' is necessary for making basic comparative statements.

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-er