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Plus que/Moins que/Autant que = More than/Less than/As much as (Comparisons with Verbs in French)

Written by Qualified French Expert Aurélie Drouard HKH, Licence d'anglais LLCE
Last updated: 2023-08-08
37 questions

Comparing actions using verbs (she runs more than you) is different from comparing qualities or things.

Making comparisons with verbs in French

Have a look:

Un footballeur gagne plus qu'un scientifique !A footballer earns more than a scientist!

En général, mon fils lit moins que ma fille.Usually, my son reads less than my daughter.

Ils voyagent autant que nous.They travel as much as we do.
 

Note that to compare actions (verb [+ object]), you use comparative words as follows:

English French
[verb] more than   [verbe] plus que
[verb] less than [verbe] moins que
[verb] as much as [verbe] autant que 

Note that the comparing words never come before the verb:

you cannot say "Je plus mange que toi."

ATTENTION:

Sometimes, when the action includes verb + object (e.g. to play cards, to do the dishes), then the position of the comparing words can VARY:

it can be  + + plus/moins/autant que 

Blandine joue au tennis plus que toi.Blandine plays tennis more than you.

Ma mère utilise l'ordinateur moins que moi.My mother uses the computer less than I do.

Je fais la vaisselle autant que Thomas.I do the dishes as much as Thomas.

or   + plus/moins/autant +  + que 

Blandine joue plus au tennis que toi.Blandine plays tennis more than you.

Ma mère utilise moins l'ordinateur que moi.My mother uses the computer less than I do.

Je fais autant la vaisselle que Thomas.I do the dishes as much as Thomas.

 

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.

Julien mange plus que tu fais toi.
Julien eats more than you do.

 

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 ... que/Moins ... que/Aussi ... que = More ... than/Less ... than/As ... as (Comparisons with Adjectives in French)
Plus ... que/Moins ... que/Aussi ... que = More ... than/Less ... than/As ... as (Comparisons with Adverbs in French)
Plus de ... que/Moins de ... que/Autant de ... que = More ... than/Less ... than/As much/many ... as (Comparisons with Nouns 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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Examples and resources

En général, mon fils lit moins que ma fille.Usually, my son reads less than my daughter.
Ils voyagent autant que nous.They travel as much as we do.
Ma mère utilise moins l'ordinateur que moi.My mother uses the computer less than I do.
Blandine joue plus au tennis que toi.Blandine plays tennis more than you.
Un footballeur gagne plus qu'un scientifique !A footballer earns more than a scientist!
Il dort plus que moi.He sleeps more than I do.
Ma mère utilise l'ordinateur moins que moi.My mother uses the computer less than I do.
Blandine joue au tennis plus que toi.Blandine plays tennis more than you.
Je fais la vaisselle autant que Thomas.I do the dishes as much as Thomas.
Je fais autant la vaisselle que Thomas.I do the dishes as much as Thomas.
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