French superlative adjectives are used to express the highest degree of a quality among three or more items, typically by using "le/la/les plus" (the most) or "le/la/les moins" (the least) before the adjective.
Superlative adjectives in French are used to indicate that something has the highest or lowest degree of a quality within a group. This is usually done by placing le, la, or les (the definite article) before plus (more) or moins (less), followed by the adjective. The article agrees in gender and number with the noun it describes.
- Use le plus for masculine singular, la plus for feminine singular, and les plus for plural forms.
- Use le moins, la moins, or les moins to express the least of a quality.
- If the adjective comes before the noun (like beau, petit), it follows the same superlative formation after the article.
Here are some examples of superlative adjectives in French:
| French Example | English Example |
|---|---|
| C’est la ville la plus grande de France. | This is the largest city in France. |
| Elle est la plus intelligente de la classe. | She is the smartest in the class. |
| C’est le film le plus intéressant que j’aie vu. | This is the most interesting movie I’ve seen. |
| Ils sont les moins rapides de l’équipe. | They are the slowest on the team. |
| Ce gâteau est le plus délicieux que j’ai mangé. | This cake is the most delicious I’ve eaten. |
How do you express "They are the slowest on the team" in French?
Ils sont les moins rapides de l’équipe.
'Les' is used for plural, 'moins' means least, and the adjective agrees in plural form: 'les moins rapides.'
The general structure for forming superlatives in French is:
definite article (le, la, les) + plus/moins + adjective
- L’article défini (le, la, les) s’accorde en genre et en nombre avec le nom.
- Plus = more, moins = less.
definite article + plus/moins + adjective + noun
- Si l’adjectif suit le nom, la règle est la même.
- Si l’adjectif précède le nom, l’ordre reste : article + plus/moins + adjectif + nom.
(noun) + est + le/la/les + plus/moins + adjectif (+ que ...)
- Utilisez "que" pour introduire la comparaison ou la précision.
Use the special forms “meilleur(e)(s)” (best) or “pire(s)” (worst), with the article.
- Ces formes ne prennent pas “plus” ou “moins”.
| Structure | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|
| . Definite article + plus/moins + adjective | Elle est la plus rapide. | She is the fastest. |
| . With a noun | C’est le plus grand bâtiment. | It’s the tallest building. |
| . With a clause | Ce livre est le plus intéressant que j’ai lu. | This book is the most interesting I’ve read. |
| . Irregular superlatives | C’est la meilleure soupe. | This is the best soup. |
Some adjectives have special superlative forms that do not use plus or moins. The two most common are:
| Positive | Superlative | English |
|---|---|---|
| bon / bonne | le/la/les meilleur(e)(s) | best |
| mauvais / mauvaise | le/la/les pire(s) (or le/la/les plus mauvais(es)) | worst |
Example:
- C’est le meilleur restaurant du quartier. (It’s the best restaurant in the neighborhood.)
- Elle a fait la pire erreur. (She made the worst mistake.)
How do you say "the best soup" in French?
la meilleure soupe
'Soupe' is feminine singular, so use 'la' and the irregular superlative 'meilleure' (best).
In French, the superlative can be followed by a phrase beginning with de to indicate “in” or “of” a certain group, place, or time.
- C’est la plus belle ville de France. (It’s the most beautiful city in France.)
- Il est le plus jeune de la classe. (He is the youngest in the class.)
- C’est la meilleure décision de ma vie. (It’s the best decision of my life.)
- Use le/la/les plus for “the most” and le/la/les moins for “the least,” with the article agreeing in gender and number.
- Place the adjective after plus/moins (and after the noun if the adjective normally follows the noun).
- Use meilleur(e)(s) and pire(s) for “best” and “worst” instead of plus or moins.
- Use de to indicate the group, place, or time in which the superlative applies.
Understanding French superlatives will allow you to express extremes and compare more than two things with confidence!
Flashcards (1 of 11)
- English Example: This is the largest city in France.
Last updated: Thu Jun 12, 2025
