so does pronouncing the s work like dix and six?
Look at these examples:
Ce travail est de plus en plus intéressant.
This work is more and more interesting.
Les ordinateurs deviennent de moins en moins chers.
Computers are becoming less and less expensive.
Mon portable se recharge de plus en plus lentement avec le temps.
My mobile charges more and more slowly over time.
Nous y allons de moins en moins souvent.
We go there less and less often.
Jacques mange de plus en plus avec le temps.
Jacques eats more and more as time goes by.
Ma grand-mère sort de moins en moins.
My grandmother goes out less and less.
Note that to use more and more and less and less in French, it goes as follows:
| English | French |
|
more and more [adjective] [adjective]-er and [adjective]-er |
de plus en plus [adjectif] |
|
less and less [adjective] |
de moins en moins [adjectif] |
|
more and more [adverb] less and less [adverb] |
de plus en plus [adverbe] de moins en moins [adverbe] |
|
[verb] more and more [verb] less and less |
[verbe] de plus en plus [verbe] de moins en moins |
Attention:
De plus en plus/De moins en moins (on their own) cannot be placed at the beginning of the sentence, unlike in English:
More and more, I knew what I wanted.
De plus en plus, je savais ce que je voulais.
-> Je savais de plus en plus ce que je voulais.
More and more, I knew what I wanted.
De plus en plus, je savais ce que je voulais.
-> Je savais de plus en plus ce que je voulais.
See also Better and better, worse and worse = de mieux en mieux, de pire en pire (comparisons),
Plus... plus..., moins... moins... = the more...the more..., the less...the less... (comparisons with phrases)
and De plus en plus de and de moins en moins de = more and more and less and less (comparisons of nouns)
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
Mon portable se recharge de plus en plus lentement avec le temps.
My mobile charges more and more slowly over time.
Ce travail est de plus en plus intéressant.
This work is more and more interesting.
Ma grand-mère sort de moins en moins.
My grandmother goes out less and less.
Les ordinateurs deviennent de moins en moins chers.
Computers are becoming less and less expensive.
Jacques mange de plus en plus avec le temps.
Jacques eats more and more as time goes by.
Nous y allons de moins en moins souvent.
We go there less and less often.
Q&A Forum 5 questions, 11 answers
Hi Helen,
If you mean that pronouncing the -s in plus as a soft -s as in dix and six, then the answer is yes...
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TonyKwiziq community member
Tony
I am looking for when you would use de plus en plus and when to use de plus en plus de. I can't seem to find an answer, if anyone knows that would be great.
Asked 1 year ago
Hi Tony
De plus en plus de will be followed by a noun.
Il y a de plus en plus de monde dans cette ville. (There are more and more people in this town.)
De plus en plus de gens viennent en vacances ici. (More and more people come on holiday here.)
Hope this helps!
MichaelKwiziq community member
Cécile,
In the lesson, it says that "de plus en plus" cannot be placed at the beginning of a sentence, but in your response to Tony above you placed it there. I assume this was correct of you- is it just more colloquial, or...?
MJ Kwiziq community member
It looks like the difference is whether de plus en plus is followed by a noun or an adjective. There’s a separate lesson on de plus en plus in comparison of nouns.
CécileKwiziq team member
I think the difference is that in the first example, 'de plus de monde' is the object and in the second , it is the subject and you wouldn't start a sentence with the object ...
Tony asked:View original
Tony
I am looking for when you would use de plus en plus and when to use de plus en plus de. I can't seem to find an answer, if anyone knows that would be great.
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PaulKwiziq Q&A regular contributor
[adjective]-er and [adjective]-er
Can you please explain what "[adjective]-er and [adjective]-er" means in the context of this lesson? Thanks.
Asked 1 year ago
Chris Kwiziq Q&A super contributor
It means, e.g., lauder and louder or faster and faster.
-- Chris.
Paul asked:View original
[adjective]-er and [adjective]-er
Can you please explain what "[adjective]-er and [adjective]-er" means in the context of this lesson? Thanks.
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AurélieKwiziq team member
Bonjour Torbjørn !
In the case of "de plus en plus", here's the pronunciation rules:
- the first "s" is pronounced [z] as a liaison is made with "en"
- as for the second "s", it depends:
-> if it's followed by an adjective/adverb ("de plus en plus gentil" / "de plus en plus vite"), then the second "s" is MUTE.
-> if the expression is used on its own ("Il fume de plus en plus."), then the second "s" is pronounced [s].
I hope that's helpful!
À bientôt !
MargoKwiziq community member
But in the examples the second s is pronounced before the adverb lentement. Also, in another example, the s is pronounced before the preposition, avec----is there a rule for the second s followed by prepositions? How strict are these rules? I just feel like winging it. Thanks for your advice. I love KWIZiq!
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CatiKwiziq community member
Would it be correct to use the expression de plus en plus intéressant for increasingly interesting?
Asked 3 years ago
Cati asked:View original
Would it be correct to use the expression de plus en plus intéressant for increasingly interesting?
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