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Comparing adverbs allows you to express degree and intensity. Whether you are describing how someone speaks more slowly or who runs the fastest, mastering these structures is key to fluid French. Practice these patterns with PrepMyFrench interactive exercises to build your confidence.
| Type | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Superiority | plus + adverb + que | Il court plus vite que moi. (He runs faster than me.) |
| Inferiority | moins + adverb + que | Elle parle moins fort que lui. (She speaks more quietly than him.) |
| Equality | aussi + adverb + que | Je travaille aussi sérieusement que toi. (I work as seriously as you.) |
To express the highest or lowest degree, use the definite article (le/la/les) followed by plus or moins. Check the PrepMyFrench verb conjugator to ensure your accompanying verbs are perfectly conjugated!
Never use 'plus bien' or 'plus beaucoup'! <br1/> Always use the irregular forms mieux and plus. For more tips on word order, visit our guide on French Adverb Placement.
Elle court plus vite que son frère.
She runs faster than her brother.
Il travaille moins souvent que l'année dernière.
He works less often than last year.
Tu chantes aussi bien que ta mère !
You sing as well as your mother!
C'est lui qui parle le plus vite de la classe.
He's the one who speaks the fastest in the class.
Elle s'est comportée mieux que la dernière fois.
She behaved better than last time. (bien → mieux)
Il mange beaucoup plus qu'avant.
He eats much more than before.
Elle chante plus bien que moi.
Elle chante mieux que moi.
Bien has an irregular comparative: mieux (not 'plus bien'). 'Plus bien' is one of the most common errors — it simply doesn't exist in French. The same applies to the superlative: le mieux (not 'le plus bien').
Il conduit le plus rapidement de tous.
C'est lui qui conduit le plus rapidement.
For adverb superlatives, use 'le plus' (invariable — no agreement with gender/number). Unlike adjectives, adverb superlatives don't agree. C'est elle qui parle le plus fort (not la plus forte — that would be an adjective).
Je travaille plus que toi. (correct but ambiguous)
Je travaille plus que toi. / Je travaille davantage.
Plus can mean 'more' or 'no longer' depending on pronunciation (plus with s sound = more, plus without s = no longer). In writing, davantage can replace plus to avoid ambiguity. In speech, context and pronunciation clarify.
🏃 The Comparison Race
Adverb comparison is like a race: PLUS = running ahead (more/faster), MOINS = falling behind (less), AUSSI = running alongside (as...as). BIEN is the star athlete who refuses to play by the rules — instead of 'plus bien,' it transforms into MIEUX. Think of bien as the diva who needs a special outfit (mieux) for the competition!
Adverb comparison appears at B1 level in TEF/TCF. Examiners test: (1) bien → mieux irregular comparative — missing this marks you as A2, (2) aussi...que (as...as) for expressing equality, and (3) the invariable superlative le plus/moins + adverb. At B2, using davantage instead of plus in formal writing shows lexical range.
Comparing study habits:
Tu étudies plus souvent que moi. Comment tu fais ?
J'étudie le matin. Je me concentre mieux quand il fait calme.
Bonne idée. Le soir, je travaille moins efficacement.
Et le week-end, je révise plus lentement mais je retiens mieux. Essaie de trouver ton rythme.
Practice French adverb comparison (plus vite que, moins souvent que, aussi bien que) with 20 interactive questions on PrepMyFrench. Irregular forms with instant scoring.
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