Français

Course / Leçon 23 of 40

Comparing

After this lesson you can compare prices, products and options with plus, moins, aussi, autant, use superlatives, and handle the tricky trio meilleur, mieux and pire.

52 core words · 14 bonus cognates · 15 phrases

Pronunciation

Nasal vowels in context: vin, vent, vont, un

French has three (for some speakers four) nasal vowels. German and English have none: the air goes through the nose and the mouth, and no /n/ or /ŋ/ is pronounced at the end.

Sound Spellings Key words Comparison
/ɛ̃/ in, im, ain, ein, en (after i/é) vin, impôt, demain, plein, bien like a in English bang, but stop before the ng
/ɑ̃/ an, am, en, em vent, dans, temps, ensemble like German a in lang without the ng, mouth wide open
/ɔ̃/ on, om vont, nombre, bon, combien like German o in Onkel, lips rounded, no n
/œ̃/ un, um un, lundi, parfum most Parisians now say /ɛ̃/ here

The minimal set

Say these four slowly: vin /vɛ̃/ (wine), vent /vɑ̃/ (wind), vont /vɔ̃/ (they go), vingt /vɛ̃/ (twenty, same as vin!). The mouth moves from smiling (vin) to wide open (vent) to round (vont).

In context: comparisons are full of nasals

  • C'est moins cher. /mwɛ̃/
  • Autant de temps. /o.tɑ̃ də tɑ̃/
  • Le plus grand. /gʁɑ̃/
  • Combien ça coûte ? /kɔ̃.bjɛ̃/
  • Un bon vin blanc. /œ̃ bɔ̃ vɛ̃ blɑ̃/: four nasals in four words!

When the nasal disappears

If the n/m is doubled or followed by a vowel, there is no nasal: bon /bɔ̃/ but bonne /bɔn/; un /œ̃/ but une /yn/; plein /plɛ̃/ but pleine /plɛn/. In liaison, the nasal often stays and adds /n/: un_ami /œ̃.na.mi/, bon_appétit /bɔ.na.pe.ti/ (here bon even loses its nasal).

Tip: Pinch your nose while saying vent. If the sound changes, you are nasalizing correctly. Then never let your tongue touch the roof of the mouth for a final n.

Grammar

Comparatives and superlatives

Comparing adjectives and adverbs: plus / moins / aussi ... que

German adds -er (billiger als), English uses -er or more. French always uses a word before the adjective, like English more/less/as:

Structure Example
+ plus + adj. + que Ce train est plus rapide que l'avion. This train is faster than the plane.
− moins + adj. + que L'hôtel est moins cher que le chalet. The hotel is cheaper (less expensive) than the chalet.
= aussi + adj. + que Elle est aussi compétente que lui. She is as competent as him.
  • The adjective still agrees: Cette offre est plus intéressante.
  • After que, use stressed pronouns: plus grand que moi / toi / lui / elle / nous / eux.
  • With adverbs it works the same: Il parle plus vite que moi. He speaks faster than me.
  • Que elides: plus cher qu'avant, moins rapide qu'un taxi.

Comparing quantities and verbs: plus de / moins de / autant de

With nouns, add de (no article), like English more / fewer / as many:

  • Nous avons plus de clients que l'an dernier. We have more customers than last year.
  • Il y a moins de risque. There is less risk.
  • Ils ont autant de membres que nous. They have as many members as us.

With verbs, put the word after the verb: Je travaille plus que toi. Ça coûte autant. Note: aussi goes with adjectives/adverbs, autant with nouns and verbs.

Superlatives: le plus / le moins

Add the definite article (agreeing!) to the comparative:

  • C'est l'offre la plus intéressante. It's the most interesting offer.
  • le chalet le moins cher the cheapest chalet
  • les vols les plus rapides the fastest flights

If the adjective goes before the noun, the superlative can too: le plus grand hôtel de la ville (the biggest hotel in the city). Note de = in/of: der größte in der Stadt → de la ville (never dans).

With verbs and nouns: C'est lui qui travaille le plus. He's the one who works the most. C'est nous qui avons le plus de clients.

Irregular forms: meilleur, mieux, pire

This is where everyone trips. bon (adjective, German gut describing a noun) and bien (adverb, gut describing a verb) are different in French:

Comparative Superlative
bon (adj.) meilleur(e)(s) le / la / les meilleur(e)(s)
bien (adv.) mieux le mieux
mauvais (adj.) plus mauvais or pire le / la pire, le plus mauvais
mal (adv.) plus mal le plus mal
  • Cette bière est meilleure. This beer is better. (bon → noun)
  • Elle parle mieux français que moi. She speaks French better than me. (bien → verb)
  • C'est la meilleure option. It's the best option.
  • C'est mieux comme ça. It's better like that. (after c'est, use mieux when you mean the situation)
  • La situation est pire qu'avant. The situation is worse than before.

Never say plus bon (wrong) and never plus bien (wrong). moins bon is fine: Le vin est moins bon ici.

Quick test: can you replace it with good + noun (a good offer)? → meilleur. With well (it works well)? → mieux.

Cognate pattern

-et / -ette = -et / -ette (projet, budget, cigarette)

French -et (masculine) and -ette (feminine) often survive unchanged in English and German. -ette was originally a diminutive (maison → maisonnette, a little house), like German -chen (Häuschen).

Pronunciation: -et = /ɛ/, final t silent (le budget /byd.ʒɛ/). -ette = /ɛt/, the t is heard (la cigarette /si.ga.ʁɛt/).

French English German
le projet project das Projekt
l'objet object das Objekt
le budget budget das Budget
le ticket ticket, receipt das Ticket, der Kassenbon
le cabinet office, practice; cabinet das Kabinett, die Praxis
le bouquet bouquet der Strauß
le ballet ballet das Ballett
le buffet buffet das Buffet
le sujet subject das Thema
la cigarette cigarette die Zigarette
la toilette washing; outfit die Toilette (Körperpflege)
la tablette tablet; bar (chocolate) das Tablet; die Tafel
la serviette napkin; towel die Serviette; das Handtuch
la recette recipe; revenue das Rezept; die Einnahme
la palette palette; pallet die Palette
la silhouette silhouette die Silhouette

Traps

  • les toilettes (plural) = the toilet / restroom: Où sont les toilettes ?
  • la recette in business = revenue, takings (les recettes de l'année), not only a recipe.
  • le cabinet = a doctor's or lawyer's practice, or a consulting firm (un cabinet de conseil).
  • le ticket is for metro, bus, cinema or a receipt (ticket de caisse); for a train or plane it is un billet.
  • Not all -et words are cognates: le jouet = toy, le poulet = chicken, le bracelet = bracelet (yes, that one is).