Comparative and Superlative Adjectives

When comparing two or more entities or groups of entities in quality or degree, we use comparative and superlative adjectives.

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"

- Inferiority: "less than"

Note: before a vowel or an h muet, we use qu'.

- Equality: "as [big] as"

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"

- Inferiority: "the least"

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)

le/la pire (the worst)

Rule 6: - The comparative and superlative forms of bon (good) are irregular:

meilleur(e) (better)

le/la meilleur(e) (the best)

Rule 7: For both the adjectives mentioned above, in the plural forms, the ending is -s.

Comparison of Quantities

Rule 8: To compare quantities, the same comparative adjectives are used.

Quantities can also be compared by inserting a noun in the following:

No article follows after the preposition de.