Comparing characteristics using adjectives (He is taller/shorter... than her) is different from comparing actions or things.
How to make comparisons with adjectives in French
Have a look at the sentences:
Note that to compare adjectives (nice, big, ...), you use comparative words as follows:
| English | French |
|
more [adjective] than |
plus [adjectif] que |
| less [adjective] than |
moins [adjectif] que |
| as [adjective] as | aussi [adjectif] que |
The adjective needs to agree in gender and number with the noun it refers to:
Whereas in English, you will need to use a subject pronoun after than (... than I (do), you (do), he/she (does)...), in French you will once again use the stress pronoun after que (... que moi, toi, lui/elle, nous, vous, eux/elles). You will also never repeat the verb with (do/am/have) afterwards.
Alice est plus grande que je suis moi.
Alice is taller than I am.
Alice is taller than I am.
See also other Comparative structures:
Plus... plus..., moins... moins... = the more...the more..., the less...the less... (comparisons with phrases)
Better and better, worse and worse = de mieux en mieux, de pire en pire (Comparisons in French)
De plus en plus / De moins en moins + [adverbe/adjectif/verbe] = more and more / less and less + [adverb/adjective/verb] (Comparisons in French)
De plus en plus de / de moins en moins de + [nom] = more and more / less and less + [nouns] (Comparisons in French)
Plus de ... que/Moins de ... que/Autant de ... que = More ... than/Less ... than/As much/many ... as (Comparisons with Nouns in French)
Plus ... que/Moins ... que/Aussi ... que = More ... than/Less ... than/As ... as (Comparisons with Adverbs in French)
Plus que/Moins que/Autant que = More than/Less than/As much as (Comparisons with Verbs in French)
And for Superlative forms, see:
Le/la/les plus and Le/la/les moins = The most and the least (Superlative with Adjectives in French)
Meilleur, mieux, pire / plus mauvais, plus mal = better, best, worse and worst in French (irregular comparatives and superlatives)
Le plus/Le moins = The most/the least (Superlative with Adverbs in French)
Forming the superlative of French adjectives in complex cases
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Learn more about these related French grammar topics
Examples and resources
Comparisons: Plus ... que (video by a green mouse)
