There are two types of superlative forms:

 

- The relative superlative, which is used to express the highest level of a quality in an individual thing / person in comparison to other similar nouns

- The absolute superlative, which is used to express the highest level of a quality in an individual thing / person absolutely (that is, without terms of comparison)

 

The relative superlative is obtained by adding the definite article and the adverbs più or meno  (more or less) to express superiority or inferiority before the adjective:

 

 

- Anna è la più alta fra le sue compagne / Anna is the tallest amongst her schoolmates

- Anna è la meno simpatica fra le sue compagne / Anna is the less nice amongst her schoolmates

 

The second term of comparison is either introduced by the prepositions di (of), tra (amongst) and its variant fra, or can be represented by a relative clause introduced by the relative pronoun che (that):

 

 

- Voi siete i più simpatici di noi. (You are the nicest among us.)

- Voi siete i più simpatici tra / fra noi. (You are the nicest among us.)

- Anna è la ragazza più simpatica che io abbia mai incontrato. (Anna is the nicest girl (that) I have ever met.)