Comparing using adverbs (she wears it more elegantly) is different from comparing actions or things.
Look at these examples:
Elle marche plus lentement que moi.
She walks more slowly than I.
Il parle plus vite que toi.
He speaks faster than you.
He speaks more quickly than you.
Je chante aussi bien que ma tante.
I sing as well as my aunt.
Sandra s'habille moins élégamment que lui.
Sandra dresses less elegantly than he.
Germaine est allée se coucher plus tôt que Simon.
Germaine went to bed earlier than Simon.
Note that to compare adverbs (nicely, quickly, slowly ...), you use comparative words as follows:
| English | French |
| more [adverb] than [adverb]-er than |
plus [adverbe] que |
| less [adverb] than | moins [adverbe] que |
| as [adverb] as | aussi [adverbe] que |
ATTENTION:
You won't say ''Elle marche plus lentemente que moi.''
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.
I run faster 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)
De plus en plus and de moins en moins = more and more and less and less (comparisons with adjectives, adverbs, verbs)
De plus en plus de and de moins en moins de = more and more and less and less (comparisons of nouns)
Making comparisons with adjectives: plus... que, aussi... que, moins... que
Making comparisons with nouns: plus de... que, moins de... que, autant de... que
Making comparisons with verbs: plus que, autant que, moins que
And for Superlative forms, see:
Le, la, les plus and le, la, les moins = the most and the least (superlatives of adjectives)
Meilleur, mieux, pire / plus mauvais, plus mal = better, best, worse and worst (irregular comparatives and superlatives)
Le plus and le moins = the most and the least (superlative of adverbs)
Learn more about these related French grammar topics
Examples and resources
Luc court moins rapidement que Françoise
Luke runs less quickly than Françoise
Il parle plus vite que toi.
He speaks faster than you.
He speaks more quickly than you.
Germaine est allée se coucher plus tôt que Simon.
Germaine went to bed earlier than Simon.
Sandra s'habille moins élégamment que lui.
Sandra dresses less elegantly than he.
Elle marche plus lentement que moi.
She walks more slowly than I.
Je chante aussi bien que ma tante.
I sing as well as my aunt.
Q&A
David
Kwiziq community member
15 July 2018
3 replies
Carefully
In a quiz I was asked to translate "My aunt drives as carefully as my uncle" and I responsed with "Ma tante conduit aussi prudemment que mon oncle". Why did Kwiziq mark this wrong and want "document"? Aren't both of these equally valid translations?
And this lesson does not even use the word doucement, which might have indicated that Kwiziq perferred that word.
Searching on the web provides thousands of instances of "conduire prudemment" with the meaning of carefully.
David
Kwiziq community member
15/07/18
Alan
Kwiziq community member
16/07/18
I guess you missed the hint below the question:
HINT: doucement = carefully
David
Kwiziq community member
16/07/18
Ok. It is hard to get back to see it since that must be 100 quizzes ago but if it is there I must have missed it so I apologize.
It would be so nice if one could get the question and answer displayed on the same screen as one is composig the post to the discussion.
Cécile
Kwiziq language super star
8/07/18
Hi Ann,
It depends what you mean -
Normally 'près' expresses a physical proximity (in space) whereas 'proche' is used more to express an emotional, mental closeness.
"On peut être près de quelqu'un sans en être proche!" (You can be near to someone without being close!)
You can say 'plus près de' if you are comparing two things and it will be followed by 'que'. e.g.
Versailles est plus près de Paris que de Nantes.
or using 'plus proche de':
"Je suis plus proche de son frère que de lui" = "I am closer to his brother than to him."
Hope this helps!
Jim
Kwiziq community member
3/01/18
Rowen
Kwiziq language super star
3/01/18
Gruff
Kwiziq language super star
16/02/18
You'll be pleased to know micro kwizzes have been restored. You can read more here:
Natasha
Kwiziq community member
16 March 2019
5 replies
You won't say ''Elle marche plus lentemente que moi.''
In the instructions, the letters "t" and "e" on "lentemente" are crossed out but only the "e" should be crossed out (to become "lentement"); "lentemen" is not a word.
Cécile
Kwiziq language super star
17 March 2019
17/03/19
Hi Natasha,
As this might be an error, can you point us to where these instructions come from?
Natasha
Kwiziq community member
17 March 2019
17/03/19
"ATTENTION:
With adverbs, you NEVER agree.You won't say ''Elle marche plus lentemente que moi.'' "
Natasha
Kwiziq community member
17 March 2019
17/03/19
Obviously, the comment box removed all the formatting but if you look at the instructions on the page, the 'te' are crossed out. Only the 'e' should be crossed out.
Cécile
Kwiziq language super star
18 March 2019
18/03/19
I see it now, thanks Natasha , will forward to be corrected ....
Aurélie
Kwiziq language super star
27 March 2019
27/03/19
Bonjour Natasha !
This has now been updated :)
Merci et bonne journée !