In English, when we want to emphasize an adjective, we add a separate word like 'very,' 'really,' or 'extremely.' We say, 'The food is very good.' Spanish speakers often do this differently. Instead of adding a word, they change the adjective itself by adding a special ending: -ísimo. Think of -ísimo as a built-in amplifier for your adjectives. It takes a word like 'caro' (expensive) and transforms it into 'carísimo' (extremely expensive). It’s a simple, elegant way to add intensity and emotion to your descriptions, and it's something you'll hear constantly in everyday conversation. Learning to use this 'absolute superlative' is a key step in moving beyond basic descriptions. After reading this guide, you'll be able to emphasize your opinions and descriptions naturally, making your Spanish sound much more authentic and expressive.
| Rule Type | How to Form the Superlative | Example (Adjective → Superlative) |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Rule (ends in consonant) | Add -ísimo, -ísima, -ísimos, or -ísimas. | fácil → facilísimo (very easy) |
| Basic Rule (ends in vowel) | Drop the final vowel (-o, -a, -e), then add the ending. | caro → carísimo (very expensive) |
| Gender & Number Agreement | The ending must match the noun it describes. | la casa barata → la casa baratísima |
| Plural Agreement | The plural ending must also match. | los coches caros → los coches carísimos |
| Spelling Change: -co / -ca | Change 'c' to 'qu' to keep the hard 'k' sound. | rico → riquísimo (very delicious/rich) |
| Spelling Change: -go / -ga | Change 'g' to 'gu' to keep the hard 'g' sound. | largo → larguísimo (very long) |
| Spelling Change: -z | Change 'z' to 'c'. | feliz → felicísimo (very happy) |
| Regional Note | In Latin America, some irregulars like 'bueno' become 'buenísimo'. In Spain, 'bonísimo' is also possible but less common in speech. |
Rule 1: Think of -ísimo as a substitute for 'muy' (very). It attaches directly to the adjective to make it stronger.
Rule 2: Always match the ending to the noun's gender and number (-o, -a, -os, -as). This is the most important rule for all Spanish adjectives.
Rule 3: If the adjective ends in a vowel, drop it first. This keeps the word flowing smoothly (e.g., 'caro' becomes 'car-ísimo').
Rule 4: Never use 'muy' with an -ísimo adjective. Saying 'muy carísimo' is redundant, like saying 'very extremely expensive'.
Rule 5: Watch for spelling changes with c, g, and z. The goal is to preserve the original sound of the adjective's last letter.
The soup is hot, but the coffee is very hot.
The house isn't big, it's huge [extremely big].
We bought some red and very sweet apples.
The trip to the mountain was super long, but the views were gorgeous.
What a delicious dessert! It's absolutely delicious.
La película es muy buenísima. — La película es buenísima. — The -ísima ending already means 'very' or 'extremely'. Adding 'muy' is redundant and sounds unnatural.
Las playas de México son hermosísimo. — Las playas de México son hermosísimas. — The adjective must agree with the noun. 'Playas' is feminine and plural, so the adjective must be 'hermosísimas'.
Este pastel está ricísimo. — Este pastel está riquísimo. — This happens because of English interference. To keep the hard 'k' sound of 'rico' before the letter 'i', you must change the 'c' to 'qu'.
El hotel es caroisimo. — El hotel es carísimo. — For adjectives that end in a vowel like -o or -a, you must drop that vowel before adding the -ísimo ending.
Q1.Change the adjective to the absolute superlative: El libro es interesante. → El libro es __________.
interesantísimo
The adjective 'interesante' ends in a vowel, so you drop the '-e' and add '-ísimo' to match the masculine, singular noun 'libro'.
Q2.Choose the correct form: Las lecciones son (facilísimo / facilísimas).
facilísimas
The noun 'lecciones' is feminine and plural, so the adjective must also be feminine and plural.
Q3.Change the adjective to the absolute superlative: La comida está rica. → La comida está __________.
riquísima
To preserve the hard 'k' sound, 'c' changes to 'qu'. To match the feminine noun 'comida', the ending is '-ísima'.
Q4.Correct the sentence: El perro es muy pequeñísimo.
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| bueno → buenísimo (very good) |
Rule 6: Not every adjective can take an -ísimo ending. It's most common with adjectives describing quality, size, and opinion.
My grandparents are old, but they are extremely happy.
The math problems were incredibly difficult.
El perro es pequeñísimo.
The suffix -ísimo already means 'very', so you should not use 'muy' with it.
Q5.Change the adjective to the absolute superlative: Los días de verano son largos. → Los días de verano son __________.
larguísimos
To preserve the hard 'g' sound, 'g' changes to 'gu'. To match the masculine, plural noun 'días', the ending is '-ísimos'.
Q6.Change the adjective to the absolute superlative: Mi hermana está feliz. → Mi hermana está __________.
felicísima
The adjective 'feliz' ends in 'z', which changes to 'c'. The ending must be '-ísima' to match the feminine noun 'hermana'.