Hi, I would like to know which one is correct.
"il parle le français de mieux en mieux."
"il parle de mieux en mieux le français."
Look at these sentences:
Expressions like better and better and worse and worse are formed with:
de mieux en mieux = better and better
de pire en pire = worse and worse
de mal en pis= from bad to worse
Also note that the following expressions use mieux and pis on their own:
-> Literally "so much [the] worse"
See also Plus... plus..., moins... moins... = the more...the more..., the less...the less... (comparisons with phrases), De plus en plus and de moins en moins = more and more and less and less (comparisons with adjectives, adverbs, verbs) and De plus en plus de and de moins en moins de = more and more and less and less (comparisons of nouns)
Here are other Comparative structures:
Making comparisons with adjectives: plus... que, aussi... que, moins... que
Making comparisons with adverbs: plus... que, aussi... que, moins... que
Making comparisons with verbs: plus que, autant que, moins que
Making comparisons with nouns: plus de... que, moins de... que, autant de... que
And Superlative structures:
Le, la, les plus and le, la, les moins = the most and the least (superlatives of adjectives)
Le plus and le moins = the most and the least (superlative of adverbs)
Forming the superlative of adjectives in complex cases
Meilleur, mieux, pire / plus mauvais, plus mal = better, best, worse and worst (irregular comparatives and superlatives)
Learn more about these related French grammar topics
Examples and resources
Expressions with mieux and pis
Q&A Forum 4 questions, 4 answers
Chris Kwiziq Q&A super contributor
The first one is the standard vanilla way of saying it. The second one is OK, too, it just stresses the fact that he speaks French more.
Saran asked:View original
Which one is correct?
Hi, I would like to know which one is correct.
"il parle le français de mieux en mieux."
"il parle de mieux en mieux le français."
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LorieKwiziq community member
Etre versus devenir versus aller
In comparing these three sentences, I notice that the verbs have similar translations (is/are getting or becoming):
Ses relations avec elle vont de mal en pis
Ma mémoire est de pire en pire
Les ordinateurs deviennent de mieux en mieux
Can these three verbs be used interchangeably with these expressions to mean is getting/going/becoming worse or better? Or is there a distinction to be made?
Thanks for your help!
Asked 2 months ago
Lorie asked:View original
Etre versus devenir versus aller
In comparing these three sentences, I notice that the verbs have similar translations (is/are getting or becoming):
Ses relations avec elle vont de mal en pis
Ma mémoire est de pire en pire
Les ordinateurs deviennent de mieux en mieux
Can these three verbs be used interchangeably with these expressions to mean is getting/going/becoming worse or better? Or is there a distinction to be made?
Thanks for your help!
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NaveenKwiziq community member
POURQUOI dans le phrase ...elle vont... et non ...elleS vont.. ?
Asked 6 months ago
Because it's "Ses relations [avec elle] vont..."
In other words, the subject is the plural "ses relations", not the singular "elle". ("Elle" is the object of the preposition "avec", or so we would describe it in English.)
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YellamarajuKwiziq Q&A regular contributor
usage of "pire and pis"
Ses relations avec elle vont de mal en pis / Ça va de pire en pire. When to use pire and pis both mean "worse".
Asked 4 years ago
AurélieKwiziq team member
Bonjour Yellamaraju !
The word "pis" is the old version of "pire", and as such it is used much less in speech and written French nowadays.
You will usually encounter "pis" in fixed expressions, such as "de mal en pis" (you would never say "de mal en pire") or "tant pis" (i.e. too bad).
The rest of the time, you use "pire" to express "worse"
I hope that's helpful !
A bientôt !
Yellamaraju asked:View original
usage of "pire and pis"
Ses relations avec elle vont de mal en pis / Ça va de pire en pire. When to use pire and pis both mean "worse".
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