Lesson 9 - Grammar 1 - Comparative & Superlative
In French, the comparative and superlative forms of adjectives and adverbs are made in a way somewhat similar to English.
1. Comparative
a. ‘plus … que’ corresponds to the English comparative ‘…er than’ or ‘more … than’.
French / Français | English / Anglais |
---|---|
Cette route est plus jolie que l'autre. | This road is prettier than the other one. |
La chemise blanche est plus chère que la bleue. | The white shirt is more expensive than the blue one. |
Il parle plus lentement que moi. | He talks more slowly than I do. |
b. ‘moins … que’ corresponds to the English ‘less… than’.
French / Français | English / Anglais |
---|---|
Il a fait moins froid que l'année dernière. | The weather has been less cold than last year. |
Je téléphone moins souvent que lui. | I telephone less often than he does. |
c. ‘aussi … que’ corresponds to the English ‘as ... as’.
French / Français | English / Anglais |
---|---|
Aussi courts que d'habitude? | As short as usual? |
Elle coûte aussi cher que l'autre. | It costs as much as the other one. |
Note that after a negative ‘si’ may be used instead of ‘aussi’ in some expressions.
French / Français | English / Anglais |
---|---|
Pas aussi courts que ça. | Pas si courts que ça. |
2. Superlative
Superlative / Superlatif | Meaning in English |
---|---|
le plus ... | corresponds to English ‘the most’ or ‘the …est’. |
la plus ... | |
les plus ... | |
le moins | corresponds to English ‘the least’ |
la moins | |
les moins |
In the superlative form, the adjectives which habitually precede the noun can either precede or follow the noun.
French / Français | English / Anglais |
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La plus jolie chambre. | The prettiest room. |
La chambre la plus jolie. | The prettiest room. |
The adjectives which normally follow the noun must follow the noun when used in the superlative.
French / Français | English / Anglais |
---|---|
Les jours les plus courts sont en hiver. | The shortest days are in the winter. |
Voici la robe la moins chère. | Here is the least expensive dress. |
Irregular comparatives and superlatives will be studied in lesson 10, grammar 1.