kleinsten

Kleinsten is the superlative form of the German adjective klein, meaning "the smallest." It is used to indicate that something is smaller than all others within a defined group. In practice, kleinsten appears most often in plural noun phrases with a definite article or determiner: die kleinsten Städte, die kleinsten Häuser, der kleinsten Tage (genitive). The singular forms are der kleinste (masc), die kleinste (fem), das kleinste (neut).

Grammar notes:

- With definite articles or adjectives showing clear reference, the adjective typically takes the weak ending and appears as kleinsten in the plural: die kleinsten Städte.

- Without a determiner, the plural form changes to kleinste: kleinste Städte.

- The adverbial superlative is am kleinsten, used to describe size in a context like “the smallest possible way” or “the smallest among options,” depending on construction.

Usage:

- Kleinsten is common in descriptive phrases about size and rank within a group, such as “die kleinsten Kinder im Forum” or “die kleinsten Fehler im Bericht.”

- It can also appear in comparisons where size is the criterion, sometimes extending to non-physical senses (e.g., smallest details or smallest amounts).

Etymology:

- The word derives from the adjective klein, with the standard German superlative suffix -sten.

Notes:

- In ordinary text, kleinsten is almost always an adjective form in plural contexts. If capitalized as Kleinsten, it would usually be a proper noun or at the start of a sentence, not a standard usage of the adjective.