am ... -sten

The Superlative: Am ... Sten

Level 2

am + adjective + -sten = (the) most, -est: am schéinsten, am gréissten, am beschten.

How It Works

1. After sinn and with verbs
Put am before the adjective and add -sten:

  • schéin → am schéinsten (the most beautiful)
  • séier → am séiersten (the fastest)
  • deier → am deiersten (the most expensive)
  • kleng → am klengsten (the smallest)

2. Vowel changes and irregular forms
Some common adjectives change their vowel: grouss → am gréissten, al → am eelsten, jonk → am jéngsten, laang → am längsten. Four words are irregular: gutt → am beschten, vill → am meeschten, gär → am léifsten, wéineg → am mannsten. See Irregular Comparatives.

3. The n-rule
The final n of -sten follows the n-rule: Dat huet mer am beschte gefall (I liked that best), but Am léifsten iessen ech Fritten.

4. Before a noun
Leave out am. The -st form takes the normal endings, as in Masculine -en:

  • masculine: dee gréisste Bierg (the highest mountain), mäi beschte Frënd (my best friend)
  • feminine: déi gréisst Stad (the biggest city)
  • neuter: dat gréisst Haus (the biggest house); the -st already ends in t, so no second t is added. See Neuter -t.
  • plural: déi bescht Frënn (the best friends)

Before a superlative, the stressed article is usual: dee (from deen) for masculine nouns, déi and dat for the others. See Déi and Dat.

Examples (6)

  1. Hei ass et am schéinsten.

    It is nicest here.

  2. Wien ass am gréissten an der Klass?

    Who is the tallest in the class?

    Grouss changes its vowel: am gréissten.

  3. Mäi Bopi ass am eelsten an der Famill.

    My grandpa is the oldest in the family.

    Al becomes am eelsten.

  4. D'Stad Lëtzebuerg ass déi gréisst Stad am Land.

    Luxembourg City is the biggest city in the country.

    Before a noun there is no am, and the feminine form has no ending.

  5. De Pierre ass mäi beschte Frënd.

    Pierre is my best friend.

    Before a masculine noun, bescht takes -en, and the n drops before F.

  6. Dat huet mer am beschte gefall.

    I liked that best.

    Am beschten loses its n before the g of gefall.

Common Mistakes

  • Leaving out am after sinn.

    Hei ass et schéinsten.
    Hei ass et am schéinsten.

    After sinn, the superlative always needs am.

  • Using the am form before a noun.

    Dat ass am gréissten Haus.
    Dat ass dat gréisst Haus.

    Before a noun, use an article and the -st form with its normal ending.

  • Keeping the n of the ending before a consonant.

    De Pierre ass mäi beschten Frënd.
    De Pierre ass mäi beschte Frënd.

    The superlative ending follows the n-rule like any other adjective ending.

How It Connects

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

am ... -stenLevel 2The Superlative: Am ... Sten

Learn This First

Before The Superlative: Am ... sten, learn Irregular Comparatives and Adjective Endings: Masculine -en.

Words in This Pattern

am