Superlatives (Part 1)

Part 1

In grammar, the superlative is the form of an adverb or adjective that expresses a degree of the adverb or adjective being used that is greater than any other possible degree of the given descriptor.

The determiner for Trinidad French Creole superlative is 'pli'.

The ten Trinidad French Creole superlatives that you must memorize are:

1. pli gwo - biggest

2. pli bon - best

3. pli bèl - most beautiful

4. pli piti - smallest

5. pli fò - strongest

6. pi fasil - easiest

7. pli dous - sweetest

8. pli bon - best

9. pli mové - worst


10. pli cho - hottest (has nothing to do with the word 'sexy hot')

The superlative is formed in the same way as the comparative, and must be deduced from the context of the sentence.

e.g. Pli bèl wòb mwen pa janmen wè. 

      The prettiest dress I've ever seen.

Often the superlative is expressed by a relative phrase containing the comparative with the phrase "pasé tout" added.

e.g. Doudou, ou  jòlòt pasé tout lézòt-la.

      Honey, you're cuter than all the others.

 For superlatives, the order usually goes like this:  pli + modifier + article

When the superlative adjectives modify a noun in Trinidad French Creole, if that adjective is of the group which usually come after the noun, then the best way to translate that sentence is to add the relative pronoun 'ki' before 'pli'.


Examples with adjectives that usually come BEFORE the noun in Trinidad French Creole.

The most beautiful - pli bèl la.
The most beautiful gem - pli bèl bijou a.
The most beautiful gem - bijou ki pli bèl la.

The eldest - pli gwan an.
The eldest boy - pli gwan gason an.
The eldest boy - gason ki pli gwan an.

The tiniest - pli piti a.
The tiniest atom - pli piti atonm lan.
The tiniest atom - atonm ki pli piti a.


Examples with adjectives that usually come AFTER the noun in Trinidad French Creole.

The white teeth - dan blan an.
The whitest teeth - dan ki pli blan an.

The sweetest - pli dous la.
The sweetest kiss - bo ki pli dous la

The shortest - pli kout la
The shortest class - klas ki pli kout-la.

The most wicked - pli méchan an.
The most wicked devil - djab ki pli méchan an.