Comparisons within a Group

This phrase let’s us say things like, “Out of all my school subjects, I like history the most”. This piece of grammar or sentence structure is practically guaranteed to come up on the JLPT N5 examination.

【Group】の中なかでは、【A】が一番いちばん【Adjective】

But first let’s just look at a few examples of 一番 on its own. It means “number one” but used with an adjective it turns it into a superlative.

一番早はやい。

The fastest/earliest.

一番かしこい。

The cleverest.

一番高たかい。

The most expensive.

Using the structure above we can come up with the following sentences.

同級生どうきゅうせいの中では、由美子ゆみこが一番かしこいです。

Out of my classmates, Yumiko is the cleverest.

私わたしは教科きょうかの中では、数学すうがくが一番好すきです。

Of all my school subjects I like mathematics the best.

記憶きおくの中では、一番寒さむい冬ふゆです。

The coldest winter in memory.

Note that 中 is a kanji you will see often. It means “middle” and the reading on its own is なか.