ärgerlichere

ärgerlichere is the comparative form of the German adjective ärgerlich, meaning “more annoying” or “more regrettable.” It is used to compare two or more nouns and is typically placed in attributive position before the noun, especially when a definite article or a determiner is present.

In German, the ending of the attributive adjective changes with gender, number, and case. With a definite article, the language uses a weak inflection, so ärgerlichere appears in singular masculine or feminine, and in plural forms as ärgerlicheren when followed by a definite article in the nominative. Examples:

- Der ärgerlichere Mann (the more annoying man)

- Die ärgerlichere Frau (the more annoying woman)

- Das ärgerlichere Kind (the more annoying child)

- Die ärgerlicheren Männer (the more annoying men)

- Die ärgerlicheren Optionen (the more annoying options)

The form ärgerlichere is rarely used in isolation; it is part of a larger noun phrase and must agree with the noun it describes. In predicative use, the adjective appears in its base or comparative stem without the attributive ending, as in Es ist ärgerlicher als zuvor (It is more annoying than before) or Der Film ist ärgerlicher geworden (The film has become more annoying).

Etymologically, ärgerlich derives from the verb ärgern (to annoy) with the German adjective suffix -lich, and the comparative suffix -er. The word can also convey “regrettable” in contexts such as events or situations, yielding phrases like ein ärgerlicher Fehler (a regrettable/annoying mistake).

See also: ärgerlich, Komparativ, German adjective inflection.