12.2.5

Comparative & Superlative Adjectives

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Comparing Adjectives

To compare adjectives in French, rather than say 'small', 'smaller', 'smallest, you say 'more', 'less' or 'as'.

Plus - more

Plus - more

  • Alex est plus grande que Sam.
    • Alex is taller than Sam.
  • Nick est plus rapide que lui.
    • Theo is quicker than him.
  • Flora est plus intelligente que Samantha.
    • Flora is more intelligent than Samantha.
Moins - less

Moins - less

  • Theo est moins rapide que moi.
    • Theo is less quick than me.
  • Mon frère est moins grande que moi.
    • My brother is less tall than me.
  • Je suis moins intelligent que lui.
    • I am less intelligent than him.
Aussi - as

Aussi - as

  • Bella est aussi belle que Lucy.
    • Bella is as beautiful as Lucy.
  • Je suis aussi intelligent que toi.
    • I am as intelligent as you.
  • Tu es aussi vite que lui.
    • You are as quick as him.

Superlative Adjectives

When talking about 'the best' or the 'worst', in French you need to use 'le', 'la', or 'les' before 'plus' or 'moins'. The adjectives still have to agree.

'Le, la, les plus'

'Le, la, les plus'

  • C'est le plus grand de la famille.
    • He is the tallest in the family.
  • J'ai acheté la maison la plus chère.
    • I bought the most expensive house.
  • Sam est le plus bizarre.
    • Sam is the weirdest.
'Le, la, les moins'

'Le, la, les moins'

  • J'ai acheté la maison la moins chère.
    • I bought the cheapest house.
  • Toby est le moins fort.
    • Toby is the weakest.
  • C'est la moins sportive.
    • She is the least sporty.

Good, Better, Best

To say 'good', 'better', 'best' in French, you can't use 'plus' or 'moins'. They have their own words.

Good, better, best

Good, better, best

  • Bon(ne)(s) → meilleur(e)(s) - Good → better.
  • Meilleur(e)(s) → Le/la/les meilleur(e)(s) - Better → best.
    • Ce film est meilleur que le dernier.
      • This film is better than the last one.
Bad, worse, worst

Bad, worse, worst

  • Mauvais(e)(s) → pire(s) - Bad → worse.
  • Pire(s) → Le/la/les pire(s) - Worse → worst.
    • C'était le pire livre que j'aie jamais lu.
      • It was the worst book that I ever read.
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Conjugation & Use of Tenses

11.1

Present Tense

11.2

Perfect Tense

11.3

Imperfect Tense

11.4

Future Tense

11.5

Conditional Tense

11.6

Future Perfect Tense

11.7

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Pluperfect Tense

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Extra Grammar

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