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Les superlatifs
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Les superlatifs
The superlative form works as it does in English (the best, the most, the largest, etc). It is formed using a definite article (le, la, les) and the adverb plus or moins.
- Tu ne trouves pas que Paris est la plus belle ville de France ?
-Don’t you think that Paris is the most beautiful city in France?
- C’est surtout la moins ensoleillée.
-It’s certainly the least sunny.
-Don’t you think that Paris is the most beautiful city in France?
- C’est surtout la moins ensoleillée.
-It’s certainly the least sunny.
As with comparatives, superlatives can be used with ajectives, adverbs, verbs and nouns.
| Superiority + | Inferiority - | |
|---|---|---|
| Adjective le/la/les plus/moins + adjective + (de) | Victor est le plus grand écrivain de tous les temps. Victor is the greatest writer of all time. | La voiture la moins chère c’est la mienne. The least expensive car is mine. |
| verb verb + le plus/moins | C’est Marcel qui mange le plus. Marcel is the one who eats the most. | C’est Gérard qui travaille le moins. Gérard is the one who works the least. |
| adverb le plus/moins + adverb | C’est Fabienne qui travaille le plus sérieusement. Fabienne is the one who works the most diligently. | C’est moi qui cours le moins vite. I’m the one who runs the least quickly. |
| Noun le plus/moins de + noun | Victor Hugo est l’écrivain qui a eu le plus de succès. Victor Hugo is the writer who has had the most success. | C’est Muriel Petite qui a le moins de chance au jeu. Muriel Petite is the one who has the least amount of luck playing games. |
Note that when the superlative is formed with an adverb, verb or noun, the article LE remains unchanged (either le plus or le moins). When formed with an adjective, the article can vary: le, la ou les plus/moins.
With a verb: C’est Victor qui parle le plus. C’est Juliette qui parle le plus. Ce sont Jeanine et Solange qui parlent le plus.
With an adjective: Victor est le plus romantique. Juliette est la plus romantique. Ce sont Jeanine et Solange les plus gentilles.
It’s Victor who speaks the most. It’s Juliette who speaks the most. It’s Jeanine and Solange who speak the most.
Victor is the most romantic. Juliette is the most romantic. Jeanine and Solange are the nicest.
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