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 |
Note: de plus en plus (on its own) cannot be placed at the beginning of the sentence, unlike in English.
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
Nous y allons de moins en moins souvent.
We go there less and less often.
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.
Q&A
Paul
Kwiziq community member
1 May 2018
2 replies
[adjective]-er and [adjective]-er
Can you please explain what "[adjective]-er and [adjective]-er" means in the context of this lesson? Thanks.
Chris
Kwiziq community member
2/05/18
It means, e.g., lauder and louder or faster and faster.
-- Chris.
Paul
Kwiziq community member
2/05/18
Aurélie
Kwiziq language super star
18/11/16
Margo
Kwiziq community member
24/12/16
Aurélie
Kwiziq language super star
4/11/16
Tony
Kwiziq community member
24 June 2018
2 replies
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.
Cécile
Kwiziq language super star
26 June 2018
26/06/18
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!
Tony
Kwiziq community member
26 June 2018
26/06/18
Merci Cécile
Tony