In: Level B1, Adjectives & Adverbs, Phrase, Comparatif

Look at these comparisons:

Plus je regarde la télévision, plus je la détesteThe more I watch television, the more I hate it.

Plus tu es beau, plus la vie est facile.The more beautiful you are, the easier life is

Moins je dors, moins j'en ai besoinThe less I sleep, the less I need to

Plus j'écoute, moins je l'aimeThe more I listen, the less I like it

Notice that expressions like the more X the more Y are similar in French, but the definite article (the) doesn't make an appearance.

Note also that in French you keep the order of the sentence intact, unlike English where you put the adjective after more for example, The more anxious you are...

Plus nous sommes généreux, plus les gens nous le rendront.The more generous we are, the more people will give back to us.

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

Plus je regarde la télévision, plus je la détesteThe more I watch television, the more I hate it.

Plus tu es beau, plus la vie est facile.The more beautiful you are, the easier life is

Plus je fais de l'exercice, plus j'en ai envie The more I exercise, the more I want to

Plus j'écoute, moins je l'aimeThe more I listen, the less I like it

Moins je dors, moins j'en ai besoinThe less I sleep, the less I need to

Plus nous sommes généreux, plus les gens nous le rendront.The more generous we are, the more people will give back to us.

Q&A Forum 4 questions, 8 answers

MillerB1Kwiziq community member

Example translation

"Plus nous sommes généreux, plus les gens nous le rendront.

The more generous we are, the more people will give it back to us."

A better English translation would be:

The more generous we are, the more people will give back to us.

The "it" should be absent because we are speaking in general terms. The word "it" in English in this sentence implies a previously mentioned specific thing which is absent in this case.

Asked 9 months ago

Like1Answer1

AurélieKwiziq team memberCorrect answer

Bonjour Miller !

Je suis complètement d'accord ! L'exemple a été changé :)

Merci et bonne journée !

Like09 months ago

Miller asked:View original

Example translation

"Plus nous sommes généreux, plus les gens nous le rendront.

The more generous we are, the more people will give it back to us."

A better English translation would be:

The more generous we are, the more people will give back to us.

The "it" should be absent because we are speaking in general terms. The word "it" in English in this sentence implies a previously mentioned specific thing which is absent in this case.

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DianaA1Kwiziq community member

How then do you use "le plus" or "le moins"

Asked 3 years ago

Like0Answer2

LauraKwiziq team member

Bonjour Diana, Please see these lessons: Le plus and le moins = the most and the least (superlative of adverbs) Le, la, les plus and le, la, les moins = the most and the least (superlatives of adjectives)

Like03 years ago

DianaA1Kwiziq community member

Thank you...

Like03 years ago

Diana asked:View original

How then do you use "le plus" or "le moins"

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TamaraA2Kwiziq community member

Another question concerning pronouncing the 's' of 'plus'

Hi Laura, similar to Aaron's question, I have a question concerning this example question - I think I have the answer, but needing confirmation, I thought that I would ask you. example: Plus nous sommes généreux, plus les gens nous le rendront. According to the recorded answer the 's' is not pronounced in the first section, however, it is in the second 'plus' is this to avoid confusion between ne..plus...in other words, to distinguish that it doesn't infer meaning of 'les gens ne nous le rendront plus' ? It has always seemed intuitive to me that the 's' gets pronounced, but just wanted to confirm thoughts.. thank you for your answer, Tamara

Asked 4 years ago

Like0Answer1

AurélieKwiziq team member

Bonjour Tamara !

The sound example was actually wrong, and thanks to you, it's now been fixed! In the expression "plus...plus...", you don't pronounce the 's' at the end of 'plus'.

Here is the fixed lesson:
https://kwiziq.learnfrenchwithalexa.com/my-languages/french/view/131

Merci !

Like14 years ago

Tamara asked:View original

Another question concerning pronouncing the 's' of 'plus'

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AaronC1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Should the "s" be pronounced at the end of "plus" in this (positive) construction?

The example voice pronounces it before "les gens" but not elsewhere. Which is correct?

Asked 4 years ago

Like0Answer4

LauraKwiziq team memberCorrect answer

Rebonjour Aaron,

Sorry about that. In certain expressions, including plus __ plus ___ and de plus en plus, pronouncing the s at the end of the plus is optional. (Unless of course there's a required liaison, as in de plus en plus.)

Like14 years ago

LauraKwiziq team member

Bonjour Aaron,

The general rule is that s at the end of the French word plus is pronounced when it's positive, and not when it's negative. So,

J'ai plus de temps = I have more time = s is pronounced.

Je n'ai plus de temps = I don't have any more time = s is silent.

Like34 years ago

AaronC1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Thanks Laura! However, I'm afraid that perhaps I wasn't specific enough — I didn't realize my question would be posted on a separate page without the full context of the exercise that gave rise to it. My question was concerning the *plus [clause] plus [clause]* construction, which I did think might fall under the general rule, but since I posted it, I've read conflicting answers elsewhere. Some suggest that the *s* is not pronounced in this context, and some say that in this context both ways of saying *plus* are heard.

Like04 years ago

AaronC1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Great, thanks again Laura!

Like04 years ago

Aaron asked:View original

Should the "s" be pronounced at the end of "plus" in this (positive) construction?

The example voice pronounces it before "les gens" but not elsewhere. Which is correct?

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Plus... plus..., moins... moins... = the more...the more..., the less...the less... (comparisons with phrases)

Learn more about these related French grammar topics

Phrase

Comparatif

Examples and resources

Q&A Forum 4 questions, 8 answers

Example translation

Example translation

How then do you use "le plus" or "le moins"

How then do you use "le plus" or "le moins"

Another question concerning pronouncing the 's' of 'plus'

Another question concerning pronouncing the 's' of 'plus'

Should the "s" be pronounced at the end of "plus" in this (positive) construction?

Should the "s" be pronounced at the end of "plus" in this (positive) construction?

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