Comparisons
A2
Comparative and superlative: plus, moins, aussi, le meilleur
Comparative (Le comparatif)
Comparing Adjectives and Adverbs
| Type | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| More | plus + adj. + que | Il est plus grand que moi. (He is taller than me.) |
| Less | moins + adj. + que | Elle est moins grande que lui. (She is less tall than him.) |
| As / Equally | aussi + adj. + que | Je suis aussi grand que toi. (I am as tall as you.) |
Comparing Nouns (Quantities)
| Type | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| More | plus de + noun + que | J'ai plus de livres que toi. (I have more books than you.) |
| Fewer/Less | moins de + noun + que | Il a moins de temps que moi. (He has less time than me.) |
| As much/many | autant de + noun + que | Elle a autant de amis que moi. (She has as many friends as me.) |
Note the difference: Use aussi with adjectives/adverbs, but autant de with nouns.
Comparing Verbs (Actions)
| Type | Structure |
|---|---|
| More | verb + plus que |
| Less | verb + moins que |
| As much | verb + autant que |
- Il travaille plus que moi. (He works more than me.)
- Elle mange moins que lui. (She eats less than him.)
- Je dors autant que toi. (I sleep as much as you.)
Irregular Comparatives
| Base form | Comparative | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| bon (good — adjective) | meilleur | better (adjective) |
| bien (well — adverb) | mieux | better (adverb) |
| mauvais (bad — adjective) | pire / plus mauvais | worse (adjective) |
| mal (badly — adverb) | pis / plus mal | worse (adverb) |
Key distinction — bon vs. bien:
- bon/meilleur describes a NOUN (adjective): Ce gâteau est meilleur. (This cake is better.)
- bien/mieux describes a VERB (adverb): Il chante mieux. (He sings better.)
This is one of the most commonly tested distinctions on the TCF!
Never say
plus bonorplus bien— always use meilleur and mieux.
Superlative (Le superlatif)
| Type | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| The most | le/la/les plus + adj. | C'est le plus grand. (He's the tallest.) |
| The least | le/la/les moins + adj. | C'est le moins cher. (It's the least expensive.) |
| The best | le/la/les meilleur(e)(s) | C'est la meilleure idée. (It's the best idea.) |
Important: After a superlative, use de (not dans):
- C'est le plus grand de la classe. (He's the tallest in the class.)
- C'est la meilleure étudiante de l'université. (She's the best student in the university.)
Adjective placement: When the adjective normally comes BEFORE the noun, the superlative also goes before: le plus grand homme. When it normally comes AFTER, the superlative goes after: la ville la plus belle. Note the article appears twice in the latter case.