German · Emotions & Descriptions
"Best" in German: der/die/das beste
der/die/das beste
Note: also: am besten
Best in German is der, die, or das beste depending on gender. Say Das ist das beste Café or Am besten gehen wir früher. Am besten is the adverbial form.
Picking a bakery
Das ist das beste Brot in der Straße.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce der/die/das beste
Say it
BES-tuh
/ˈbɛstə/
BES-tuh. Short e. Soft final -e.
"Best" in German: quick reference
| German | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| der/die/das beste | the best Attributive with article. | Attributive with article. |
| am besten | best / preferably Advice or adverb. | Advice or adverb. |
| meine beste Freundin | my best friend (f) Common phrase. | Common phrase. |
| das Beste | the best (thing) Neuter noun-like. | Neuter noun-like. |
How to use der/die/das beste in real life
- 1Picking a bakery
Das ist das beste Brot in der Straße.
That's the best bread on the street.
Das beste.
- 2Advice
Am besten nimmst du die S-Bahn.
You'd best take the S-Bahn.
Am besten.
- 3Friends
Sie ist meine beste Freundin seit der Schule.
She's been my best friend since school.
Beste Freundin.
Mistakes English speakers make with der/die/das beste
Incorrect: Das ist der best Café.
Correct: Das ist das beste Café.
Match gender: das beste Café.
Incorrect: Am beste gehen wir.
Correct: Am besten gehen wir.
Adverbial form is am besten.
Good to know
Am besten is everyday advice language. Alles Gute und das Beste! shows up in cards as a warm wish.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Choosing a weekend plan
ChatPal
Was ist die beste Idee — See oder Berg?
What's the best idea — lake or mountain?
You
Am besten der See. Weniger steil.
Best the lake. Less steep.
ChatPal
Okay. Das beste Wetter ist morgen früh.
Okay. The best weather is tomorrow morning.
You
Dann starten wir am besten um acht.
Then we'd best start at eight.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Best" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Best" in German
How do you say best?
Der/die/das beste; am besten for advice.
The best café?
Das beste Café.
You'd better…?
Am besten …
Best friend?
Bester Freund / beste Freundin.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
