A complete guide to understanding and using French comparative adjectives, including rules, examples, and common exceptions.
French comparative adjectives are used to compare two people, things, or ideas. In English, we often add “-er” or use “more,” but in French, the structure is different: plus ... que (more ... than), moins ... que (less ... than), or aussi ... que (as ... as).
Formation Rules
French comparative adjectives are always placed between the subject and the noun being compared, following the structure:
[subject] + [verb] + (plus/moins/aussi) + [adjective] + que + [comparison]
The adjective agrees in gender and number with the subject.
Examples:
- Marie est plus grande que Sophie. (Marie is taller than Sophie.)
- Ce livre est moins intéressant que l’autre. (This book is less interesting than the other.)
- Paul est aussi intelligent que Julie. (Paul is as intelligent as Julie.)
Irregular Comparative Adjectives
Some French adjectives have irregular comparative forms that do not use plus/moins/aussi.
- bon (good) → meilleur (better)
Ex: Ce gâteau est meilleur que celui-là. (This cake is better than that one.)
- mauvais (bad) → pire (worse) or plus mauvais (less common, but pire is preferred)
Ex: Cette situation est pire que la précédente. (This situation is worse than the previous one.)
- petit (small) → plus petit (regular form) (There's no irregular short form like 'petiter')
Ex: Ce chien est plus petit que le chat. (This dog is smaller than the cat.)
Note: Other adjectives follow the regular pattern using plus/moins/aussi.
Position of Adjective
Most French adjectives come after the noun, but some common adjectives come before.
When using comparisons, the adjective is placed after the noun, even if it usually comes before in a simple sentence.
- Simple: un petit garçon (a small boy)
- Comparative: un garçon plus petit que son frère (a boy smaller than his brother)
- Simple: un beau tableau (a beautiful painting)
- Comparative: un tableau plus beau que l’autre (a painting more beautiful than the other)
What is the position of the adjective in a comparison: "un petit garçon" vs "un garçon plus petit"?
"petit" is before the noun in the simple sentence, but "plus petit" comes after the noun in the comparative
In simple sentences, some adjectives come before the noun, but in comparatives, the adjective always follows the noun.
Sample Sentences
| French Sentence | English Translation |
|---|---|
| Cette robe est plus jolie que celle-ci. | This dress is prettier than this one. |
| Il est moins sérieux que son camarade. | He is less serious than his classmate. |
| Ils sont aussi rapides que nous. | They are as fast as we are. |
| Mon appartement est plus grand que le tien. | My apartment is bigger than yours. |
| Ce vin est meilleur que le précédent. | This wine is better than the previous one. |
| Ta note est pire que la mienne. | Your grade is worse than mine. |
Translate: "Ils sont aussi rapides que nous."
They are as fast as we are.
"aussi rapides que" means "as fast as" in English.
Flashcards (1 of 6)
- English Translation: This dress is prettier than this one.
Last updated: Thu Jun 12, 2025
