Comparative Adverbs - Lawless French 2015/Jul/29, 4:16 PM

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Comparative Adverbs

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Adverbes comparatifs
Comparative adverbs are used to compare the relative superiority or inferiority of two or more
things. This superior lesson will keep you from getting an inferiority complex.

There are three types of comparisons:

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1) Superiority indicates that something is "___er" (bigger, faster, stronger) or "more ___" (more
purple, more tired, more important). The French equivalent is plus ___.

2) Inferiority indicates that something is "less ___" (less hungry, less exciting, less complete). The
French equivalent is moins ___.

3) Equality indicates that two or more things are "as ___" (as happy, as thirsty, as interesting). The
French equivalents are aussi and autant.

The grammar involved in using comparative adverbs is slightly different depending on whether
youre comparing adjectives, adverbs, nouns, or verbs.

Comparing Adjectives
The simplest comparison is with adjectives ([Link]
just put plus, moins, or aussi in front of the adjective. The comparative itself is invariable, but, as
always, the adjective has to agree with its noun in gender and number.

a) Compare two nouns with one adjective

Cet arbre est plus grand. This tree is taller.

Ta voiture est moins bruyante. Your car is less noisy.

Ils sont aussi contents. Theyre just as happy.

In the above examples, the comparison is implied theres some antecedent that these comparatives
are referring back to. When there is no antecedent, you need que after the adjective, followed by the
other noun or pronoun youre comparing to.

Cet arbre est plus grand que lautre. This tree is taller than the other one.

Ta voiture est moins bruyante que la mienne. Your car is less noisy than mine.

Ils sont aussi contents que moi. Theyre as happy as I am.

Note that in the final example, the stressed pronoun

([Link] is required in French, whereas
the subject pronoun is used in English.

b) Compare two adjectives in relation to one noun

Tu es aussi intelligente que belle. Youre as smart as (you are) beautiful.

Je suis plus curieux que courageux. Im more curious than (I am) brave.

c) Compare an adjective over time

Je suis moins sportif quavant. Im less athletic than before.

Il est plus obsd que jamais. Hes more obsessed than ever.

The adjectives bon and mauvais have special comparative forms: meilleur and pire. More about
this in a future lesson.

Comparing Adverbs
Comparing adverbs ([Link] is much the same, but you
dont have to worry about agreement, since adverbs are invariable. Once again, there are three
types of comparisons.

a) Compare two nouns with one adverb

Il parle plus lentement que moi. He speaks more slowly than I (do).

Elle pleure moins souvent que sa sur. She cries less often than her sister.

Je travaille aussi dur que toi. I work as hard as you do.

b) Compare two adverbs in relation to one noun

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Tu cris plus vite que correctement. You write more quickly than (you do) correctly.

Il mange aussi sainement quabondamment. He eats as healthily as (he does) copiously.

c) Compare an adverb over time

Je cours plus lentement quhier. Im running more slowly than (I was) yesterday.

Elle tudie moins souvent quavant. She studies less often than before.

The adverb bien has a special comparative forum: mieux.

Comparing Nouns
When comparing the quantity of nouns ([Link] the
comparative adverbs are somewhat different:

Superiority = plus de

Inferiority = moins de

Equality = autant de

a) Compare a noun between two subjects

Jai plus dides que toi. I have more ideas than you.

Tu fais moins derreurs que moi. You make fewer errors than I (do).

Elle a crit autant de livres que son pre. Shes written as many books as her father.

b) Compare two (or more) nouns for one subject/verb

Il y a moins de pommes que doranges. There are fewer apples than oranges.

Jai plus dides que de temps ou dnergie. I have more ideas than time or energy.

Note that de must be repeated in front of each noun being compared.

c) Compare a noun over time

Il y a moins de travail que la semaine dernire. Theres less work than (there was) last week.

Je bois autant deau que jamais. I drink as much water as ever.

Comparing Verbs
When comparing verbs ([Link] the comparative adverbs are
slightly different again:

Superiority = plus que

Inferiority = moins que

Equality = autant que

a) Compare a verb between two subjects

Je travaille plus que ma sur. I work more than my sister (does).

Il tudie moins que toi. He studies less than you.

Nous mangeons autant que nos enfants. We eat as much as our children.

Note the word order: the comparative adverb goes after the verb

b) Compare two verbs

Je lis plus que je ne regarde la tl. I read more than I watch TV.

Anne chante autant quelle parle. Anne sings as much as she speaks.

Notes

The subject must be repeated in front of the second verb

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Ne expltif ([Link] is required with plus and

moins

c) Compare a verb over time

Je travaille plus maintenant. I work more now.

Elle tudie moins quavant. She studies less than before.

En rsum

Superiority Inferiority Equality

Adjectives plus ( que) moins ( que) aussi ( que)

Adverbs plus ( que) moins ( que) aussi ( que)

Nouns plus de moins de autant de

Verbs plus que moins que autant que

Related lessons

Adjectives ([Link]

Adverbs ([Link]

Nouns ([Link]

Pronouns ([Link]

Verbs ([Link]

Think you've mastered 'Comparative Adverbs'? Test yourself now...

1 of 6 Mon oncle est bavard; ma tante est ... lui. (My uncle NEXT

is chatty; my aunt is less chatty than him.)

French proficiency test ([Link] by

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