French Comparative Superlative Adjectives

The comparative adjective is used to compare two things.
The superlative adjective is used to describe the best of two or more things.

In English, there are two ways to form comparative and superlative adjectives:

1) By adding an ending, usually –er and –est

e.g. fine
Finer (comparative)
Finest (superlative)

2) By using more and most

e.g. difficult
More difficult (comparative)
Most difficult (superlative)

French Comparative Superlative Adjectives are formed in only one way:

Plus (comparative)
Le/la/les/plus (superlative)

French Comparative Superlative Adjectives examples

e.g Beau

Plus beau, le plus beau, les plus beaux = fine, finer, finest

La voile est un plus beau sport que le tennis = sailing is a finer sport than tennis.
C’est le plus beau sport du monde = it’s the finest sport in the world.

e.g. difficile

Difficile, plus difficile, le plus difficile, les plus difficile = difficult, more difficult, most difficult.

C’est une activité encore plus difficile = it’s an even more difficult activity.
C’est l’activité la plus difficile = it’s the most difficult activity

After a possessive (mon, ma, mes, ton, ta, tes, etc.), the superlative adjective drops its definite article:

Sa plus jolie robe = her prettiest dress

Bon, meilleur, le meilleur = good, better, best
Mauvais, plus mauvais, le plus mauvais (pire, le pire) = bad, worse, worst
Petit, plus petit, le plus petit = small, smaller, smallest (physically)
Petit, moindre, le moindre = little, less, least (importance)

Moins…que = less…than
Ton journal est moins intéressant que le mien = your paper’s less interesting than mine
Aussi…que = as…as
Elle est aussi riche que son père = she’s as rich as her father
Pas…aussi (or pas…si) = not as…as
Il n’est pas aussi petit que sa grand mère = he’s not as small as his grand mother

3) Some rules of French Comparatives Superlatives Adjectives

Using than after a comparative : que is used
Vous êtes plus jeune que moi = You’re younger than me.

Using as after a comparative: que is also used
Elle n’est pas si vieille que lui = she’s not as old as him.

In after a superlative is de
Le plus grand bâtiment du monde = the biggest building in the world.

By with either a comparative or a superlative is de
Il est de beaucoup de plus beau = he’s by far the most handsome.

Le/la/les moins can also be used, like le/la les plus as a superlative
L’enfant le moins gaté = the least spoiled child.

Where plus and moins are used to compare nouns rather than adjectives they are followed by de
Tu as plus de force que moi = you have more strength than I
La ville a moins d’habitants qu’auparavant = the town has fewer inhabitants than formerly
Elle a autant d’argent que son petit ami = she has as much money as her boyfriend
Il a plus de soixante ans = he’s more than sixty years old

More and more = de plus en plus
Le temps devient de plus en plus orageux = The weather’s getting more and more stormy

less and less = de moins en moins
J’ai de moins en moins d’argent = I’ve less and less money