French Comparatives and Superlatives (and the Meilleur Trap)
Plus...que (more), moins...que (less), aussi...que (as...as) - and why bon becomes meilleur, not "plus bon." The full comparison system.
French comparatives use plus…que (more than), moins…que (less than), and aussi…que (as…as): elle est plus grande que moi. Superlatives add le/la: le plus grand. Watch for the irregular: bon (good) becomes meilleur (better), never “plus bon.”
Quick answer
French comparatives use plus…que (more than), moins…que (less than), and aussi…que (as…as): elle est plus grande que moi. Superlatives add le/la: le plus grand. Watch for the irregular: bon (good) becomes meilleur (better), never “plus bon.”
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The 3 comparative patterns
| Pattern | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| plus…que | more…than | elle est plus grande que moi |
| moins…que | less…than | il est moins rapide que toi |
| aussi…que | as…as | elle est aussi intelligente que lui |
The meilleur trap
Bon (good) → meilleur (better), NOT “plus bon” - irregular, like English good/better. Parallel adverb irregular: bien (well) → mieux (better), also worth flagging.
Superlatives: le/la plus, le/la moins
Le plus grand, la moins chère - built directly from the comparative pattern by adding the definite article. See French adjectives for the agreement rules this interacts with.
The best: le meilleur / la meilleure
The superlative of the irregular bon - le meilleur (masc.) / la meilleure (fem.). See French grammar and French conjugation for the wider system.
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Questions about this note
How do you say "more than" in French?
Plus...que: il est plus grand que toi.
What's the comparative of bon?
Meilleur - irregular, like English good/better, never plus bon.
How do you say "as...as" in French?
Aussi...que: elle est aussi intelligente que lui.
How do you form a superlative?
Le/la plus/moins + adjective: le plus grand, la moins chère.
What's the difference between meilleur and mieux?
Meilleur is the adjective form (better, describing a noun); mieux is the adverb form (better, describing a verb).