Les comparatifs et superlatifs
Comparing things: more, less, the most, the least
Whenever you compare two things — this restaurant is better, my apartment is smaller, she's as tall as me — you need comparatives. And when you pick the best or worst of a group, you need superlatives. French uses plus, moins, and aussi the way English uses 'more', 'less', and 'as'.
Comparatives with adjectives
Put plus (more), moins (less), or aussi (as) before the adjective, and que after it. The adjective still agrees with the noun it describes.
| Type | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| More | plus + adj + que | Paris est plus grand que Lyon. |
| Less | moins + adj + que | Lyon est moins cher que Paris. |
| As / equally | aussi + adj + que | Nice est aussi belle que Bordeaux. |
- Mon frère est plus grand que moi. — My brother is taller than me.
- Ce film est moins intéressant que le livre. — This movie is less interesting than the book.
- Elle est aussi intelligente que lui. — She's as smart as him.
Irregular comparatives: bon → meilleur, bien → mieux
Just like English has 'good → better' (not 'more good'), French has two important irregulars. Bon (good, adjective) becomes meilleur. Bien (well, adverb) becomes mieux.
| Base | Comparative | Use |
|---|---|---|
| bon(ne) — good | meilleur(e) — better | with nouns: Ce gâteau est meilleur. |
| bien — well | mieux — better | with verbs: Elle chante mieux. |
- Ce restaurant est meilleur que l'autre. — This restaurant is better than the other one.
- Je dors mieux depuis que je fais du sport. — I sleep better since I started exercising.
Superlatives — the most / the least
To say 'the most' or 'the least', add le/la/les before plus or moins + adjective. The adjective agrees as usual.
- C'est la plus belle ville de France. — It's the most beautiful city in France.
- C'est le restaurant le moins cher du quartier. — It's the least expensive restaurant in the neighborhood.
- C'est le meilleur café de Paris. — It's the best café in Paris.
Mon appartement est ___ petit ___ le tien. (smaller than)
« Ce gâteau est ___ que l'autre. » (better)
Elle chante ___ que moi. (better — with a verb)
C'est ___ ___ belle ville de France. (the most beautiful)
Which is correct?