más suave
/mas swabe/from spelling rules
The English phrase "softest" is translated into Spanish as más suave.
más suave is the superlative form of soft, used to describe something with the least hardness or roughness.
Which one should you use?
While English uses the suffix '-est' to create the superlative, Spanish uses the construction 'más' + adjective.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using 'más suave' as a noun phrase (the softest one), you must precede it with a definite article like 'el' or 'la'.
How do you pronounce it?
/mas swabe/
Did you know?
- The Latin ancestor of suave, 'suāvis', is the same root that gives us the English word 'suave'. While English uses the word to describe a sophisticated man, Spanish uses the base word 'suave' to describe many different types of gentle sensations.
- In many Spanish-speaking contexts, describing a sound or a piece of music as más suave can imply it is more 'mellow' or 'relaxed' rather than just lower in volume. It describes the quality of the texture of the sound itself.
- When describing a person's personality as suave, it often implies they are diplomatic, tactful or smooth-talking rather than physically soft.
Examples in context
- “Incompetentes” es el calificativo más suave que se les puede aplicar."Incompetent" is the softest word usable to describe them.This sentence illustrates how más suave can be used to describe a descriptor or word that is mild or least harsh.Tatoeba #8612505 by arh, translation #9189992 by DJ_Saidez
- El pastel de chocolate está blandísimo.The chocolate cake is extremely soft.
- Esta manta es la más suave de todas.This blanket is the softest of all.
- Esta es la seda más suave que he tocado.This is the softest silk I have ever touched.
- Busco el algodón más suave para la piel del bebé.I am looking for the softest cotton for the baby's skin.
Example conversation
Alejandro and Lucía are shopping for bedding in a store.
- Alejandro¿Cuál de estas mantas es la más suave?Which of these blankets is the softest?
- LucíaCreo que esta de lana es la más suave.I think this wool one is the softest.
- AlejandroTienes razón, es muy agradable.You are right, it is very pleasant.
- LucíaVamos a llevarla entonces.Let's take it then.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries más, suave, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
