What about the most delicious pasta? The ultimate gelato? The absolute superlative expresses the concepts of very, extremely, or most. In Italian, superlatives are formed by adding the suffix -issimo to an adjective or adverb after 0dropping the final vowel. There are four forms corresponding to gender and number).

FORMING SUPERLATIVES IN ITALIAN

alto (tall)

altissimo, altissima, altissimi, altissime

buono (good)

buonissimo, buonissima, buonissimi, buonissime

veloce (quick)

velocissimo, velocissima, velocissimi, velocissime

There are several adjectives that have irregular comparative and superlative forms.

IRREGULAR ITALIAN ADJECTIVES

ADJECTIVE

COMPARATIVE

ABSOLUTE SUPERLATIVE

alto (high)

superiore (higher)

supremo/sommo (highest)

basso (low)

inferiore (lower)

infimo (lowest)

buono (good)

migliore (better)

ottimo (best)

cattivo (bad)

peggiore (worse)

pessimo (worst)

grande (big)

maggiore (big)

massimo (biggest)

piccolo (small)

minore (smaller)

minimo (smallest)

There are other ways to express the absolute superior that dont require the -issimo form of the adjective. For example, the terms molto (a lot of), tanto (much), estremamente (extremely), or assai (very) can be used before the unchanged adjective. It depends on how dramatic the speaker wants to be! Compare: molto piccolo (very small) and piccolissimo (smallest)