Short Superlative (-im)

Level 4

Tallinn on Eesti suurim linn means Tallinn is the largest city in Estonia. Suurim means the same as kõige suurem.

How It Works

Estonian has two superlatives with the same meaning:

  • kõige suurem – everyday, works for every adjective
  • suurim – one word, common in writing and news

How to build it. Take the plural partitive, drop a final -d if there is one, and add -m:

  • suur → suuri → suurim (biggest)
  • uus → uusi → uusim (newest)
  • ilus → ilusaid → ilusaim (most beautiful)
  • kiire → kiireid → kiireim (fastest)
  • lihtne → lihtsaid → lihtsaim (simplest)
  • õnnelik → õnnelikke → õnnelikem (happiest)

Words in -lik keep the single k of their genitive (õnneliku), so -kke becomes -kem.

Adjectives whose comparative ends in -em after changing a or u (vana → vanem, pikk → pikem, tark → targem) always end in -im: vanim, pikim, targim. The irregular ones follow their comparative: hea (parem) → parim, lühike (lühem) → lühim.

It declines like a normal adjective: suurim, suurima, suurimat; plural parimad, parimate, parimaid. Parimate soovidega (with best wishes) ends many letters, and üks parimaid means one of the best.

No short form exists for some adjectives, such as vaba, lai, märg, hapu and roosa. Use kõige with the comparative: kõige vabam, kõige laiem.

Parim is already a superlative, so careful writing does not add kõige to it. Say parim or kõige parem.

Examples (6)

  1. Tallinn on Eesti suurim linn.

    Tallinn is the largest city in Estonia.

  2. See oli mu elu parim päev.

    That was the best day of my life.

    Hea → parem → parim.

  3. Linna vanim hoone asub vanalinnas.

    The oldest building in the city is in the old town.

    Vana → vanem → vanim.

  4. Lihtsaim lahendus on sageli ka parim.

    The simplest solution is often also the best.

    Lihtne → lihtsaid → lihtsaim.

  5. Ta on üks meie klassi parimaid õpilasi.

    She is one of the best students in our class.

    Üks plus the plural partitive parimaid means one of the best.

  6. Parimate soovidega, Mari

    Best wishes, Mari

    A common letter ending, with parim in the plural comitative.

Common Mistakes

  • Making a short superlative that does not exist.

    See on linna laiim tänav.
    See on linna kõige laiem tänav.

    Some adjectives, such as lai, vaba and märg, have no short superlative. Kõige with the comparative always works.

  • Building it on the genitive instead of the plural partitive.

    Tallinn on Eesti suureim linn.
    Tallinn on Eesti suurim linn.

    The plural partitive of suur is suuri, so the superlative is suurim.

How It Connects

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Short Superlative (-im)Level 4

Learn This First

The short superlative is built on the plural partitive.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

kõigeparim