Comparisons (AQA GCSE French): Revision Notes
French comparisons
Making comparisons is essential for achieving higher grades in French. You'll need to master both comparative and superlative forms to express differences and similarities between people, places, and things effectively.
Understanding comparatives
When you want to compare two things, you use the comparative form. This allows you to say that something is bigger, smaller, or the same size as something else.
Formation of comparatives
To create comparatives in French, you use these key structures before the adjective:
- plus (more) + adjective + que (than)
- moins (less) + adjective + que (than)
- aussi (as) + adjective + que (as)
The adjective must agree with the noun it describes, just like in regular sentences.
Comparative examples
Worked Example: Using Comparative Forms
More than (plus... que):
- Mon frère est grand. Simon est plus grand. (My brother is tall. Simon is taller.)
- Ma sœur est petite. Nathalie est plus petite. (My sister is small. Nathalie is smaller.)
Less than (moins... que):
- Ambre est moins grande que sa sœur. (Ambre is smaller than her sister.)
As... as (aussi... que):
- Il est aussi grand que son père. (He is as tall as his father.)
Working with superlatives
The superlative form is used when comparing more than two things, helping you identify the biggest, smallest, or most interesting item in a group.
Formation of superlatives
Create superlatives by adding the definite article (le/la/les) plus the word "plus" or "moins":
- le/la/les plus + adjective = the most...
- le/la/les moins + adjective = the least...
Superlative examples
Worked Example: Using Superlative Forms
- le plus grand / la plus grande / les plus grand(e)s (the biggest)
- le livre le plus intéressant (the most interesting book)
- la matière la plus ennuyeuse (the most boring subject)
Irregular comparison forms
Some common adjectives have irregular comparative and superlative forms that you need to memorise:
| Adjective | Comparative | Superlative | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| bon/bonne (good) | meilleur(e) (better) | le meilleur / la meilleure (the best) | good/better/best |
| mauvais(e) (bad) | pire (worse) | le/la pire (the worst) | bad/worse/worst |
These irregular forms are essential to master as they're frequently used in French!
Worked Example: Using Irregular Forms
- Le film est meilleur que le livre. (The film is better than the book.)
- le meilleur restaurant (the best restaurant)
Useful vocabulary for comparisons
| French | English |
|---|---|
| plus | more |
| moins | less |
| aussi | as |
| que | than/as |
| grand(e) | tall/big |
| petit(e) | small |
| intéressant(e) | interesting |
| ennuyeux/ennuyeuse | boring |
| meilleur(e) | better |
| le/la meilleur(e) | the best |
| pire | worse |
| le/la pire | the worst |
Grammar and pronunciation tips
Agreement rules: Always ensure your adjectives agree with the nouns they describe. This means changing the ending for feminine and plural forms.
Pronunciation tip: The final 's' in "plus" is usually silent when followed by a consonant, but pronounced as 'z' when followed by a vowel.
Word order: In superlatives, the adjective can come before or after the noun, depending on the type of adjective. Short, common adjectives typically come before the noun.
Translation practice
Worked Example: Translation Practice
French to English:
- Nathan est plus grand que Tom.
- C'est le restaurant le plus cher de la ville.
English to French: 3. My house is smaller than yours. 4. She is the most intelligent student in the class.
Answers:
- Nathan is taller than Tom.
- It's the most expensive restaurant in the town.
- Ma maison est plus petite que la tienne.
- Elle est l'étudiante la plus intelligente de la classe.
Summary
Key Points to Remember:
- Use plus/moins/aussi + adjective + que for comparing two things
- Use le/la/les plus/moins + adjective for comparing more than two things
- Bon becomes meilleur (better) and le meilleur (the best)
- Mauvais becomes pire (worse) and le pire (the worst)
- Always make adjectives agree with the nouns they describe