Comparisons in French

Overview

Comparisons, known as le comparatif in French, let you say that something is more, less, or equally something compared to something else. This is an essential A2 topic that opens up a wide range of expression -- from describing people and places to stating preferences and making decisions.

French comparisons follow a clear and regular pattern using plus (more), moins (less), and aussi (as/equally), combined with que (than/as). If you know these three words, you can compare almost anything.

There are a few important irregular forms to learn, most notably meilleur (better, for adjectives) and mieux (better, for adverbs). These work just like "better" in English -- they replace the regular comparative forms.

How It Works

Comparing with adjectives and adverbs

Type	Structure	Example
More ... than	plus + adj/adv + que	Il est plus grand que moi.
Less ... than	moins + adj/adv + que	Elle est moins fatiguée que lui.
As ... as	aussi + adj/adv + que	Tu es aussi intelligent que lui.

Comparing with nouns (quantity)

Type	Structure	Example
More ... than	plus de + noun + que	J'ai plus de livres que toi.
Less ... than	moins de + noun + que	Il a moins de temps que moi.
As much/many ... as	autant de + noun + que	Elle a autant d'amis que moi.

Comparing with verbs (actions)

Type	Structure	Example
More than	verb + plus que	Il travaille plus que moi.
Less than	verb + moins que	Je dors moins que toi.
As much as	verb + autant que	Elle mange autant que lui.

Irregular comparatives

Adjective/Adverb	Comparative	Example
bon (good)	meilleur(e)	Ce café est meilleur.
bien (well)	mieux	Elle chante mieux.
mauvais (bad)	pire / plus mauvais	C'est pire.
mal (badly)	pis / plus mal	Il va plus mal.

Examples in Context

French	English	Note
Il est plus grand que moi.	He is taller than me.	Adjective comparison
Paris est moins grand que Tokyo.	Paris is smaller than Tokyo.	Less + adjective
Elle chante mieux que moi.	She sings better than me.	Irregular adverb
C'est aussi bon.	It's just as good.	Equality with adjective
J'ai plus de temps aujourd'hui.	I have more time today.	Noun quantity
Tu cours moins vite que lui.	You run less fast than him.	Adverb comparison
Ce restaurant est meilleur que l'autre.	This restaurant is better than the other.	Irregular: meilleur
Elle a autant d'énergie que moi.	She has as much energy as me.	Equality with noun
Il travaille plus que tout le monde.	He works more than everyone.	Verb comparison
C'est de plus en plus difficile.	It's more and more difficult.	Progressive comparison
C'est de moins en moins cher.	It's less and less expensive.	Decreasing comparison

Common Mistakes

Using plus bon instead of meilleur

• Wrong: Ce gâteau est plus bon.
• Right: Ce gâteau est meilleur.
• Why: Bon has an irregular comparative form. You must use meilleur, never plus bon.

Confusing meilleur and mieux

• Wrong: Elle chante meilleur que moi.
• Right: Elle chante mieux que moi.
• Why: Meilleur is the comparative of the adjective bon (good). Mieux is the comparative of the adverb bien (well). With verbs, you need the adverb form.

Using aussi in negative sentences instead of si

• Less natural: Il n'est pas aussi grand que moi.
• More natural: Il n'est pas si grand que moi.
• Why: In negative comparisons of equality, si often replaces aussi, though both are accepted.

Forgetting de with noun comparisons

• Wrong: J'ai plus livres que toi.
• Right: J'ai plus de livres que toi.
• Why: When comparing quantities of nouns, you need de between plus/moins/autant and the noun.

Practice Tips

1. Pick five pairs of things you know well (two cities, two friends, two foods) and write three comparisons for each pair using plus, moins, and aussi. This drills all three structures quickly.
2. Focus specifically on the meilleur vs mieux distinction by writing sentences about skills: Elle cuisine mieux (she cooks better -- adverb) vs Sa cuisine est meilleure (her cooking is better -- adjective).
3. Listen for comparisons in French media and note whether speakers use the regular or irregular forms. You will quickly notice how common meilleur and mieux are.

Related Concepts

• Regular Adjectives -- you need to know adjective agreement for comparisons
• Superlative -- the next step, expressing "the most" and "the least"