If you’re learning French, at some point you’ll want to make comparisons: say that one city is bigger than another, that you eat as much as your friend, or that today is less cold than yesterday. These are perfectly natural things to say in everyday conversation — but in French, they follow a specific grammatical structure called le comparatif.
The good news is that French comparatives are logical, consistent, and — once you’ve got the basic pattern down — genuinely easy to use. In this article, we’ll cover how they work, what forms they take, how they apply to different types of words, and — to give your French a more authentic edge — some essential idiomatic expressions built with comme.
1. What is the comparative?
The comparative is used to compare two elements: people, objects, actions, qualities. In French, there are three types:
- Comparatif de supériorité → “more… than” (e.g. faster than)
- Comparatif d’infériorité → “less… than” (e.g. less expensive than)
- Comparatif d’égalité → “as… as” (e.g. as good as)
The second element of the comparison is always introduced by the conjunction que (sometimes followed by de). This is the thread that runs through the whole structure: whatever type of comparative you’re using, que is always the right choice.
2. Comparative of an adjective or adverb
When you want to compare a quality or the way something is done, you use the comparative with adjectives (tall, friendly, fast…) or adverbs (often, well, late…).
The structure is:
plus / moins / aussi + adjective or adverb + que
Here’s how it works in practice:
– Pierre est plus sportif que toi.
– Ton frère sourit moins souvent que ta sœur.
– Josiane est aussi grande que sa mère.
The structure stays the same throughout: just choose between plus, moins, and aussi depending on the type of comparison you want to make. The adjective still agrees in gender and number as normal — the comparative doesn’t change any of that.
3. Comparative of a noun
Want to compare quantities of things — people, objects, ideas? In this case, the comparative is built around the noun rather than the adjective.
The structure changes slightly:
plus / moins / autant + de + noun + que (de)
One important note: for equality, you use autant de, not aussi de. This is one of the most common mistakes English speakers make when learning French!
– M. Duroc a plus d’autorité que son collègue.
– Il y a moins de jeunes que d’adultes.
– Elle mange autant de glaces que de gâteaux.
Note that de always comes before the noun, and shortens to d’ before a vowel — just like the partitive article.
4. Comparative of a verb
When you want to compare actions — not qualities or quantities, but what someone actually does — the comparative is built directly around the verb.
The structure is:
verb + plus / moins / autant + que
Here the comparative comes after the verb, making the construction very direct:
– Cette année les arbres fleurissent plus que l’année dernière.
– Mes amis travaillent moins que moi.
– Paul mange autant que toi.
Again, autant is the right word for equality with a verb — not aussi, which is reserved for adjectives and adverbs.
5. Similarity, difference and other useful comparisons
Beyond the core comparative structures, French has a range of other tools for comparing two elements. These aren’t comparatives in the strict sense, but they come up constantly in everyday speech and are well worth knowing.
Le même / un autre
When you want to say two things are the same or different, you can use:
- le/la/les même(s) + noun (+ que) → the same
- un(e)/des autre(s) + noun (+ que) → another, other
Examples:
– J’ai acheté le même chemisier que toi.
– Il a fait d’autres projets que moi.
Pareil à, semblable à, différent de
To express similarity or difference more descriptively, French uses specific adjectives:
- pareil(le) à → the same as, identical to
- semblable à → similar to
- différent(e) de → different from
Examples:
– Cette veste est semblable à la mienne.
– Son caractère est très différent de celui de sa sœur.
Comparing with “comme”
Finally, to compare the way someone is or does something, French uses comme after an adjective or verb:
– Patricia s’habille toujours comme Eléonore.
6. Expressions with “comme”: sounding naturally French
One of the things that makes French so expressive — and so much fun to learn — is its rich stock of idiomatic expressions built with comme. These belong to the familiar, colourful register of everyday spoken French: use them, and you’ll immediately sound more natural and fluent.
Here are some of the most widely used:
| Expression | Meaning |
|---|---|
| rouge comme une tomate | to be very flushed, embarrassed |
| haut comme trois pommes | to be very short (of a person) |
| gentille comme tout | to be incredibly kind |
| comme un poisson dans l’eau | completely in one’s element |
| trembler comme une feuille | to shake uncontrollably (from fear or cold) |
| maigre comme un clou | to be extremely thin |
These images are very much alive in everyday conversation. A native speaker uses them without thinking — and being able to recognise them when you hear them, or drop one in at the right moment, is a clear sign of authentic, confident French.
Practical tip: try learning two or three at a time and picture the image vividly in your mind. Visual association is one of the most effective ways to lock idiomatic expressions into long-term memory.
7. Common mistakes to avoid
Even with a fairly regular structure, there are a few traps that catch English speakers out.
❌ Elle mange aussi de gâteaux que moi.
✔️ Elle mange autant de gâteaux que moi.
With nouns, equality is expressed with autant de, not aussi de.
❌ Il est aussi grand comme toi.
✔️ Il est aussi grand que toi.
The second term of a comparison always takes que, not comme.
❌ J’ai bu autant café que toi.
✔️ J’ai bu autant de café que toi.
Don’t forget the de between autant/plus/moins and the noun — it’s mandatory.
❌ Paul travaille aussi que Marie.
✔️ Paul travaille autant que Marie.
When comparing verbs, use autant — never aussi.
8. Quick reference table
Here’s a summary of all the main structures at a glance:
| What you’re comparing | More than | Less than | As much as |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adjective / Adverb | plus + adj/adv + que | moins + adj/adv + que | aussi + adj/adv + que |
| Noun | plus de + noun + que | moins de + noun + que | autant de + noun + que |
| Verb | verb + plus + que | verb + moins + que | verb + autant + que |
Keep it handy while you practise — within a few days, these structures will start to feel second nature.
9. Want to go deeper?
Check out the “Le comparatif” grammar sheet from the Sillabi resources: it lays out the full structure in a clear, concise format — perfect to keep on hand while you study or practise.
10. Take your French to the next level
Knowing how to use comparatives is a key step towards expressing yourself in French with precision and confidence. But it’s just one of the many building blocks of solid language skills.
If you want to learn French in a structured, progressive, and enjoyable way, take a look at the Et voilà! course — a step-by-step programme designed to turn grammar rules into natural reflexes, with clear explanations and content that makes French genuinely accessible.
Not sure where you stand? Take the free online level test: in just a few minutes, you’ll find out exactly where in the course to start.