erfiðast

Erfiðast is an Icelandic adjective meaning “the most difficult” or “the hardest.” It is the superlative form of erfiður and is used to indicate the greatest degree of difficulty within a group of items, situations, or tasks. The word can modify a noun directly or appear in a predicate construction to compare alternatives.

Formation and usage: The base adjective erfiður yields erfiðast by adding the standard superlative suffix -ast. It is commonly seen in phrases such as erfiðasta verkefnið (the most difficult task). It can also appear in clauses as a predicate, for example, það var erfiðast að finna lausnina (that was the hardest to find the solution). In these uses, erfiðast marks the top degree of difficulty among referenced items or actions.

Context and nuances: Erfiðast carries a neutral to formal tone and is widely applicable across domains, including education, work, and everyday life. It is part of a broader set of Icelandic comparative and superlative forms that express varying degrees of difficulty. Related terms include erfiður (difficult) and erfiðari (more difficult), which are used to form comparisons that do not reach the ultimate degree signified by erfiðast.

See also: erfiður; erfiðari.