čo najskôr / čo najviac

As ... as Possible

Level 4

Čo + a superlative means "as ... as possible": Zavolaj mi čo najskôr. (Call me as soon as possible.)

How It Works

The pattern. Take a superlative with naj- and put čo in front. The result means "as ... as possible" or "as ... as you can".

  • skoro → skôr → najskôr: čo najskôr (as soon as possible)
  • veľa → viac → najviac: čo najviac (as much as possible)
  • málo → menej → najmenej: čo najmenej (as little as possible)
  • dobre → lepšie → najlepšie: čo najlepšie (as well as possible)
  • rýchlo → rýchlejšie → najrýchlejšie: čo najrýchlejšie (as fast as possible)

For the forms, see adverbs from adjectives and irregular comparatives.

With adjectives. Čo also goes before a superlative adjective, which still agrees with its noun: čo najlacnejší byt (the cheapest possible flat), čo najlepšia cena (the best possible price), čo najväčšie izby (the biggest possible rooms).

Formal version. Official letters often add možno: Odpovedzte, prosím, čo možno najskôr. (Please reply as soon as possible.) It means the same, only more formally.

Not a comparative. This pattern needs the superlative with naj-. A comparative goes with čoraz (more and more) or with čím ... tým, as in Čím skôr, tým lepšie. (The sooner, the better.)

Examples (6)

  1. Zavolaj mi čo najskôr.

    Call me as soon as possible.

    Word by Word: Call me what soonest.

  2. Snažím sa hovoriť po slovensky čo najviac.

    I try to speak Slovak as much as possible.

    Word by Word: I-try self to-speak in-Slovak what most.

  3. Príďte čo najrýchlejšie!

    Come as quickly as possible!

    Word by Word: Come what fastest!

  4. Hľadáme čo najlacnejší byt v centre.

    We're looking for the cheapest possible flat in the centre.

    Word by Word: We-look-for what cheapest flat in centre.

    Najlacnejší is an adjective here, so it agrees with byt.

  5. Chceme zaplatiť čo najmenej.

    We want to pay as little as possible.

    Word by Word: We-want to-pay what least.

  6. Odpovedzte, prosím, čo možno najskôr.

    Please reply as soon as possible.

    Word by Word: Reply, please, what possibly soonest.

    Čo možno najskôr is the formal version, common in letters and emails.

Common Mistakes

  • Using a comparative instead of a superlative.

    Urob to čo lepšie.
    Urob to čo najlepšie.

    This pattern needs the superlative with naj-: čo najlepšie, čo najskôr, čo najviac. A comparative such as lepšie goes with čoraz or čím ... tým instead.

  • Writing čo and the superlative as one word.

    Zavolaj mi čonajskôr.
    Zavolaj mi čo najskôr.

    Čo and najskôr are two separate words.

  • Using the adverb before a noun.

    Hľadáme čo najlacnejšie byt.
    Hľadáme čo najlacnejší byt.

    Before a noun you need the adjective, and it agrees with the noun: byt is masculine, so najlacnejší.

How It Connects

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

čo najskôr / čo najviacLevel 4As ... as Possible

Learn This First

Before As ... As Possible, learn Comparing Adjectives. čo naj- is built on superlatives, formed from comparatives.