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Superlative adjective in Russian

Russian grammar --> Superlative adjective

Superlative adjectives, simple or compound, may be used both attributively and predicatively.

Simple superlative

The simple superlative is common in scientific and literary Russian; however, the same form is also used in colloquial Russian to express the speaker’s personal impression.

The simple superlative is commonly used to express a value judgment on the part of the speaker and may be used when no comparison is made (English example: a most interesting film). You can translate the simple superlative into English as "a most", "a very", or "an extremely". The emphasis on the indefinite article indicates that the speaker has in mind one of many such superlative things. Note that like the compound superlative, the simple superlatve is declined.

Formation of the simple superlative

Most adjectives form the simple superlative by means of the suffix -ейш- added to the stem of the adjective, and the endings -ий/-ая/-ое/-ые.

The suffix -айш- is added to adjectives if their stem ends in the consonants г, к, and x which change to ж, ч, and ш, respectively.

Some adjectives form the simple superlative irregularly:

The simple superlative form of adjective declines similarly to the long-form adjectives with stem ending in -ж, -ш, -ч, -щ.

Compound superlative

Formation of the compound superlative

The formation of the compound superlative is uncomplicated. It consists of the word самый most and the long form of the adjective. Both words agree in gender, number and case with the noun.

Sometimes the words наибóлее most or наимéнее least can be used instead of самый to create superlative compound form.

Another way to form the superlative form

Instead of using the compound or simple superlative as described above, Russian conversation has a quick and easy way of expressing the superlative. This is to use the comparative plus the expressions всех than anyone or всего than anything: