# Comparatives and Superlatives

https://langs123.com/en/french/adjectif-adverbe/comparatifs-superlatifs/
CEFR A1–A2 · 2026-10-24 · CC BY 4.0, langs123 contributors (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

> **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

| Point | Rule | Example |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 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

- 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

| Form | Example |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **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

| Basic form | Comparative | Superlative |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **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

| Form | Example |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **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

| Use | Example |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **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

| ✗ | ✓ |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 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” |