COMPARATIVE AND SUPERLATIVE
In today’s lesson, we are going to learn about making comparisons with the help of comparative and superlative adverbs. A comparative adverb helps us to make a comparison or distinction between two or more things; a superlative helps us to explain that something is the absolute best or worst thing.
Listen to Week 6 Day 1 Track 1
Comparative: When we are making a general comparison in French, we tend to put either “plus,” which means “more,” or “moins,” which means “less,” before the adjective. We then put “que,” which means “than,” after the adjective. Together, these words allow us to make the comparison.
Example:
• Pierre est plus grand que Luc. - Pierre is taller than Luc.
• Il est moins doué que son frère. - He is less gifted than his brother.
To make an equal comparison between two or more things or people, we use the formula “aussi + adjective + que.” An equal comparison refers to things or people that are similar.
Example:
• Il est aussi bien en anglais que sa sœur. - He is as good in English as his sister.
To say that something is not the same as something else, we use the formula “ne + verbe conjugué + pas aussi + adjective + que,” which means not as + adjective + as.
Take note that ne est (verb) becomes n’est.
Example:
• Le train n‘est pas aussi rapide que l’avion. - The train is not as fast as the plane.
The above formulas also work with adverbs and will work in the same way as they do with adjectives.
Example:
• Paul travaille plus lentement que Marc. - Paul works more slowly than Marc.
Superlative: When using a superlative with an adjective, which as mentioned above denotes that something or someone is the absolute best or worst at something, we use the following formulas:
“le / la / les plus + adjective” à THE most + adjective
“le / la / les moins + adjective” à THE least + adjective
Remember that the articles “Le/La/Les” must correspond to the gender of the noun that will come after the adjective.
Speaking Practice 1
Listen to Week 6 Day 1 Track 2
and look at the examples below:
| Charles est le plus intelligent de la classe. | Charles is the smartest in the class. |
| Michel est le plus jeune pilote de France. | Michel is the youngest pilot in France. |
| Leclerc est le moins cher des supermarchés. | Leclerc is the least expensive among supermarkets. |
Speaking Practice 2
and look at the dialogue below to help you practice your pronunciation and comparative sentences:
Vocabulary: Comparative and Superlative
A Quick Recap of this Lesson
Comparative
Superlatives
For superlatives, when you want to say the absolute best or worst at something, use the following formulas:
Sharpen Your Knowledge with Exercises
Exercise 1
Exercise 2
Listen to the dialogue and answer the following questions.
Exercise 3
Exercise 4
True or False?
Responses