c In cases where English uses ‘in’, e.g. ‘The most famous person in town’, French will use de.
e.g. La personne la plus célèbre de la villed Verbs following the superlative expressing a subjective judgement (as opposed to an objective
fact) are normally in the subjunctive.
e.g. C’est le meilleur film que j’aie jamais vu
3 IRREGULAR FORMS OF COMPARATIVES AND SUPERLATIVESa Bon (adjective) and bien (adverb) have irregular forms in the comparative of superiority and
the superlative.
comparatives superlatives
adjectivebon(s)/bonne(s) meilleur(s)/meilleure(s) le(s) meilleur(s)/la(les)
meilleure(s)
adverb bien mieux le mieux
These comparatives can be placed before or after the noun.
e.g. Les meilleurs danseurs de la compagnie/les danseurs les meilleurs de la compagnie
bMauvais (adjective) and mal (adverb) have regular as well as irregular forms in the
comparative and superlative.
comparatives superlatives
adjectivemauvais/mauvais(e) plus mauvais/ le(s) plus mauvais/la (les) plus
plus mauvaise(s) mauvaise(s)
pire(s) le(s) pire(s)
adverb mal plus mal le plus mal
pis le pis
Noteplus mauvais is more common than pire (which usually means ‘morally worse’)
Le pis is only used rarely and always as a noun, e.g. Le pis est qu’il est parti avec l’argent. Note
the idiomatic phrase tant pis (never mind, too bad).
cThe adjective petit has both regular and irregular comparatives and superlatives.
comparatives superlatives
petit(s)/petite(s) plus petit(s)/plus petite(s) le(s) plus petit(s)/la (les) plus petite(s)
moindre(s) le(s) moindre(s)/la (les) moindre(s)
Note that plus petit means smaller in size, whereas moindre indicates that something is of less
importance.
dThe comparative and superlative of beaucoup are plus and le plus. e.g. C’est elle qui travaille le
plus. Davantage is also used as a comparative for beaucoup.
e.g. Il vous faudra travailler davantage
Comparatives and superlatives 119