Comparative and Superlative Adjectives
When comparing two or more entities or groups of entities in quality or degree, we use comparative and superlative adjectives.
Native
Translation
Hermione est plus intelligente que Ron.
Hermione is more clever than Ron.
Hermione est la plus intelligente de toutes.
Hermione is the most clever of them all.
Comparative Adjectives
Rule 1: To compare adjectives, we use plus, moins, aussi in front of the adjective and the reference word of the comparison is followed by que.
Comparative adjectives can be used to show different qualities of degree:
- Superiority: "more than"
Native
Translation
Alex est plus grand que Jean.
Alex is taller than Jean.
- Inferiority: "less than"
Native
Translation
Jean est moins grand qu’Alex.
Jean is less tall than Alex.
Note: before a vowel or an h muet, we use qu'.
- Equality: "as [big] as"
Native
Translation
Sophie est aussi grande que Laura.
Sophie is as tall as Laura.
Rule 2: Be careful, the adjective also agrees with the noun to which it refers.
Superlative Adjectives
Rule 3: The superlative is the highest degree of a quality. In French it is formed with a definite article (le, la, les) and the adverb plus or moins.
Superlative adjectives can be used to show different qualities of degree:
- Superiority: "the most"
Native
Translation
Fiona est la plus grande.
Fiona is the tallest.
- Inferiority: "the least"
Native
Translation
Fabrice est le moins rapide.
Fabrice is the slowest.
Rule 4: Be careful, the superlative also agrees with the noun to which it refers.
Irregular Adjectives
Rule 5: The comparative and superlative forms of mauvais (bad) are irregular:
pire (worse)
Native
Translation
Rogue est un pire professeur que Lupin.
Snape is a worse teacher than Lupin.
le/la pire (the worst)
Native
Translation
Ombrage était le pire professeur de Poudlard.
Umbridge was the worst teacher at Hogwarts.
Rule 6: - The comparative and superlative forms of bon (good) are irregular:
meilleur(e) (better)
Native
Translation
Elle est meilleure élève que toi.
She is a better student than you.
le/la meilleur(e) (the best)
Native
Translation
Hermione était la meilleure élève de Poudlard.
Hermione was the best student at Hogwarts.
Rule 7: For both the adjectives mentioned above, in the plural forms, the ending is -s.
Native
Translation
Ils sont les pires et les meilleurs étudiants en même temps.
They are the worst and the best students at the same time.
Comparison of Quantities
Rule 8: To compare quantities, the same comparative adjectives are used.
Native
Translation
Elle mange moins que moi.
She eats less than me.
Quantities can also be compared by inserting a noun in the following:
- plus de...que (+)
- moins de...que (-)
- autant de...que (=)
No article follows after the preposition de.
Native
Translation
J'ai plus de chance que toi.
I have more luck than you.
Quiz
1/4
Translate: It's nicer today than it was yesterday.
0
correct answers.