avantage en Français. (6

French comparison is actually quite logical. It works like a simple math equation. You take an adjective, like grand (big) or cher (expensive). Then, you wrap it in two specific words. These words are your comparison markers. The first word tells us the direction. Are we going up, down, or staying level? The second word is almost always que. This word means "than" or "as." It is the anchor of the sentence. Without it, your comparison just floats away into nothingness. French uses this pattern for everything. You can compare your brother's height. You can compare the speed of two trains. You can even compare how much you like two different singers. It is a universal system. It does not change based on the gender of the noun. The adjective inside might change, but the markers stay the same. It is like a sandwich. The plus, moins, or aussi is the bottom bread. The que is the top bread. The adjective is the delicious filling in the middle.

1. 1To build a comparison, follow these three simple steps:
2. 2Pick your starting word. Use plus for "more." Use moins for "less." Use aussi for "as/same."
3. 3Add your adjective. This is the quality you are comparing. For example, petit (small) or rapide (fast).
4. 4Finish with que. This introduces the second thing you are comparing.
5. 5Here is the formula: [Subject] + [Verb] + [Comparison Word] + [Adjective] + que + [Object].
6. 6For "More": La voiture est plus rapide que le vélo. (The car is faster than the bike).
7. 7For "Less": Le café est moins cher que le thé. (The coffee is less expensive than the tea).
8. 8For "Equal": Alice est aussi grande que Marc. (Alice is as tall as Marc).
9. 9There is one major exception you must know. You never say plus bon. That sounds like a toddler speaking. In French, "better" has its own special word: meilleur. It is like the grammar version of a luxury upgrade. If you want to say something is "more good," you must use meilleur. Just remember: plus + bon = ✗. Meilleur = ✓. Think of it like a grammar VIP pass.

You will use this rule in almost every conversation. It is essential for shopping and bargaining. You want the plus petit price, right? It is also vital for giving directions. One street might be plus large (wider) than another. Use it when you are meeting new people. You can describe your family members. "My sister is plus jeune (younger) than me." It is perfect for travel planning. Is the hotel moins loin (less far) than the museum? Use it to express your opinions. Everyone has an opinion on French wine. You might say one is meilleur than the other. Use it when ordering food at a restaurant. You might want a dish that is moins épicé (less spicy). It is the language of preference. It helps you define your world by contrasting things. It makes your descriptions specific instead of vague.

Don't use the comparative for absolute things. Some words don't like to be compared. For example, unique (unique) is usually absolute. Something is either unique or it isn't. You can't really be "more unique" than someone else. It is like being pregnant; you either are or you aren't. Also, don't use it when you are talking about the very best. That is the Superlative. The Comparative needs two things to compare. If you are only talking about one thing being the top of the list, use le plus. Avoid using it for things that are already extreme. Words like excellent or horrible don't need a plus in front of them. They are already at the finish line. If you add plus, it feels like you are wearing two hats at once. It’s just too much. Stick to comparing things that have a scale of intensity.

The biggest mistake is forgetting the que. Many English speakers say La pomme est plus rouge. Then they stop. You need the que if you are comparing it to something else. Another classic error is the plus bon trap. We already talked about this, but it bears repeating. It is the most common mistake for beginners. Even some native speakers mess this up when they are tired! Another mistake is gender agreement. The adjective in the middle must match the first noun. If you are comparing a girl (fille), the adjective must be feminine. Elle est plus petite. If you are comparing a boy (garçon), it is Il est plus petit. Don't forget that que becomes qu' before a vowel. Elle est plus grande qu'Alice. If you forget that little apostrophe, the sentence will sound clunky. It's like a speed bump in the middle of a smooth road.

You might confuse the Comparative with the Superlative. They look similar but have different jobs. The Comparative is a duel between two things. The Superlative is a king-of-the-hill situation. If you say plus grand, you are comparing two people. If you say le plus grand, you are talking about the tallest person in the whole room. Another similar pattern involves the word davantage. You might see this in books. It also means "more." However, davantage usually goes at the end of a sentence. It does not go before an adjective. Think of plus as the social butterfly that loves to be in the middle. Think of davantage as the shy one who waits at the end of the line. For A1 level, stick to plus. It is safer and more common in daily speech. Davantage is for when you want to sound fancy at a dinner party.