kälter

Kälter is the comparative form of the German adjective kalt, meaning “more cold” or “colder.” It is used to express a higher degree of cold and can describe weather, objects, or conditions. In everyday language it is primarily predicative, as in “Es wird kälter” or “Heute ist es kälter als gestern,” and it can also appear attributively before a noun, for example “ein kälterer Tag” or “kältere Nächte,” depending on the article and gender.

Spelling and grammar: the stem vowel changes from a to ä when forming the comparative, a pattern common among many German adjectives. The superlative form is “am kältesten” or, with a definite article, “der kälteste/kälteste” (adjusted for gender and case). In attributive position the endings follow standard German adjective declension: “der kältere Tag,” “die kältere Nacht,” “das kältere Wetter,” “die kälteren Tage.”

Usage notes: kälter expresses a relative level of cold compared to a reference point, such as another time, place, or condition. It is more specific than “kühl” and commonly appears in weather reports, descriptive writing, and everyday speech. While primarily an adjective, the phrase “kälter machen” is used to denote making something colder. The form should not be confused with a noun, since it functions grammatically as an adjective in normal usage.