Plus, moins and aussi compare a quality, a quantity or an action with que; le plus and le moins name the highest or lowest degree. Bon becomes meilleur and bien becomes mieux: Ce gâteau est meilleur. Elle chante mieux.
Summary
Nothing in this section is at or below. It starts at A1.
| Point | Rule | Example | English | Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Comparative | plus / moins / aussi + adjective + que | Léa est plus grande que Paul. | Léa is taller than Paul. | |
| Superlative | le / la / les + plus / moins + adjective | Léa est la plus grande. | Léa is the tallest. | |
| After que | a stressed pronoun: moi, toi, lui | Tu es plus petit que moi. | You are smaller than me. | |
| Irregular forms | bon → meilleur / bien → mieux | Ce gâteau est meilleur. | This cake is better. | |
| With a noun | plus / moins / autant + de + noun + que | J’ai plus de livres que toi. | I have more books than you. | |
| With a verb | verb + plus / moins / autant + que | Il travaille moins que moi. | He works less than me. | |
| With an adverb | plus / moins / aussi + adverb + que | Elle court plus vite que moi. | She runs faster than me. | |
| The group compared | after a superlative, de + the group | Paris est la plus grande ville de France. | Paris is the biggest city in France. | |
| Strengthening | beaucoup plus / bien plus / un peu moins / encore plus | Ce sac est beaucoup plus cher. | This bag is much more expensive. | |
| Trap | aussi … que, never comme | Il est aussi grand que moi. | He is as tall as me. | |
| Trap | bon → meilleur, never plus bon | Ce film est meilleur. | This film is better. |
Overview
Nothing in this section is at or below. It starts at A1.
- To compare, put plus, moins or aussi before the adjective, then que and the second term. Paul est plus petit que Léa. / Léa est aussi grande que Marc.Paul is smaller than Léa. / Léa is as tall as Marc.
- The superlative adds the article: le plus, la moins, les plus. Paul est le plus petit. / Ces sacs sont les moins chers.Paul is the smallest. / These bags are the cheapest.
- A comparison can concern a quality (adjective), a manner (adverb), an amount (noun) or an action (verb).
- For the agreement and position of the adjective, see Adjectives.
- For adverbs such as vite and bien, see Adverbs.
Form: the comparative
Nothing in this section is at or below. It starts at A1.
| Form | Example | English | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| plus / moins + adjective + que | Le train est moins cher que l’avion. / Léa est plus grande que Paul. | The train is cheaper than the plane. / Léa is taller than Paul. | |
| aussi + adjective + que | Mon frère est aussi grand que moi. | My brother is as tall as me. | |
| plus / moins / aussi + adverb + que | Elle court plus vite que moi. / Il parle aussi bien que nous. | She runs faster than me. / He speaks as well as we do. | |
| plus / moins / autant + de + noun + que | J’ai plus de livres que toi. / Elle a autant d’amis que moi. | I have more books than you. / She has as many friends as me. | |
| verb + plus / moins / autant + que | Il travaille moins que moi. / Elle dort autant que Paul. | He works less than me. / She sleeps as much as Paul. |
- The adjective agrees with the subject, not with the second term. Léa est plus grande que Paul. / Paul est plus petit que Léa.Léa is taller than Paul. / Paul is smaller than Léa.
- After que comes a stressed pronoun: moi, toi, lui, elle. Tu es plus petit que moi. / Je suis moins fort que lui.You are smaller than me. / I'm weaker than him.
- For the stressed pronouns, see Stressed Pronouns.
- When the second term is clear, que and that term drop out. Ce sac est plus cher. / Ce sac est moins cher.This bag is more expensive. / This bag is cheaper.
Form: meilleur and mieux
Nothing in this section is at or below. It starts at A2.
| Basic form | Comparative | Superlative | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| bon | meilleur | le meilleur | |
| bien | mieux | le mieux |
- Meilleur is an adjective and agrees: meilleure, meilleurs, meilleures. Mieux is an adverb and never changes. Cette tarte est meilleure. / Ils chantent mieux.This tart is better. / They sing better.
- Meilleur and mieux are the forms of bon and bien with plus; with moins and aussi, bon and bien keep their form. Le café est moins bon que le thé. / Il chante aussi bien que moi.The coffee is not as good as the tea. / He sings as well as I do.
- Aller mieux says that someone's health is improving. Tu vas mieux ? — Oui, je vais mieux.Are you feeling better? — Yes, I'm better.
Form: the superlative
Nothing in this section is at or below. It starts at A1.
| Form | Example | English | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| le / la / les + plus / moins + adjective | Léa est la plus grande. / Ces sacs sont les moins chers. | Léa is the tallest. / These bags are the cheapest. | |
| le / la / les + plus / moins + adjective + noun | Paris est la plus grande ville de France. | Paris is the biggest city in France. | |
| noun + le / la / les + plus / moins + adjective | C’est le restaurant le moins cher du quartier. | It's the cheapest restaurant in the neighbourhood. | |
| le + plus / moins + adverb | Paul court le plus vite de la classe. | Paul runs the fastest in the class. | |
| le + plus / moins + de + noun | C’est Léa qui a le plus de livres. | Léa is the one with the most books. |
- The article agrees with the noun: le, la, les. With an adverb it stays le. Léa est la plus petite. / Les filles sont les plus rapides. / Elles courent le plus vite.Léa is the smallest. / The girls are the fastest. / They run the fastest.
- After a superlative, de introduces the group: de France, du monde, de la classe. C’est la plus grande ville du monde. / Léa est la plus petite de la classe.It's the biggest city in the world. / Léa is the smallest in the class.
- The superlative of bon is le meilleur, and of bien it is le mieux. C’est le meilleur café de la ville. / Léa chante le mieux.It's the best café in town. / Léa sings the best.
Words that strengthen
Nothing in this section is at or below. It starts at A2.
| Use | Example | English | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| beaucoup / bien / un peu before plus or moins | Ce sac est beaucoup plus cher. / Ce train est un peu moins rapide. | This bag is much more expensive. / This train is a little less fast. | |
| encore before plus or moins: one more degree | Aujourd’hui, il fait encore plus froid. | Today it is even colder. |
Typical errors
Nothing in this section is at or below. It starts at A1.
| Wrong | Right | Rule | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elle est la plus petit. | Elle est la plus petite. | the adjective agrees after le plus and la plus too | |
| Ce film est plus bon que l’autre. | Ce film est meilleur que l’autre. | plus bon does not exist: the form is meilleur | |
| Elle chante plus bien que moi. | Elle chante mieux que moi. | plus bien does not exist: the form is mieux | |
| J’ai plus des amis que toi. | J’ai plus d’amis que toi. | after plus, moins and autant, a noun takes de with no article | |
| C’est la plus grande ville dans le monde. | C’est la plus grande ville du monde. | after a superlative the group takes de: du monde, not “in the world” |