The comparative of equality (as...as) is
aussi..que.
The comparative of inferiority (less) is
moins...que.
The comparative of superiority (more) is
plus...que.
Je parle aussi franchement
que toi.
(I speak as frankly as you.)
Tu parles moins franchement
que lui.
(You speak less frankly than he.)
Elle parle plus
franchement que nous.
(She speaks more frankly than we do.)
Superlative (the least) is le moins; superlative (the most) is le plus.
C'est Paul qui nous téléphone le moins
souvent.
(Paul is the one who calls us the least.)
C'est Rosalie
qui nous rend visite le plus souvent.
(Rosalie is the one who visits us the most.)
Notes:
The preposition de (alone or combined with the various forms of the definite article) may follow the superlative adverb to mean in or of:
Le champagne est le vin français
le mieux connu du monde.
(Champagne is the best-known French wine in the world.)
The article with superlative adverbs is always le.
Sais-tu qui joue le mieux?
(Do you know who plays the best?)
Irregular Forms of Comparison
A few adverbs have irregular comparatives and superlatives:
| Adverb | Comparative | Superlative |
| beaucoup (much) | plus (more) | le plus (the most) |
| bien (well) | mieux (better) | le mieux (the best) |
| mal (badly) | plus mal (worse) pis* (worse) |
le plus mal (the worst) le pis* (the worst) |
| peu (little) | moins (less) | le moins (the least) |
* Note: in everyday speech, pis is now rarely used.
Alain conduit mieux que
Robert.
(Alan drives better than Robert.)
C'est toi qui chantes
le plus mal.
(It is you who sings the worst.)
See Also: