French grammar - Comparison of quantities of nouns - plus, moins and autant

Comparison of quantities of nouns - plus, moins & autant

The comparative adverbs plus ('more'), moins ('less') and autant ('as much') are used to talk about quantities of nouns.

When used to make comparisons the relative pronoun que is added.

• plus que means 'more than'

• moins que means 'less than'

• autant que means 'as much as'

When used with noun qualities the partitive de is used.

When used with a noun, the comparative adverb and que are spilt. For example plus de sel que ('more salt than')

When comparing against a pronoun, a stressed pronoun (eg, moi, toi etc.) is used.

When comparing two quantities we use the partitive twice.

Examples:
	J'ai plus d'argent que Jacques. I have more money than Jacques. plus que means 'more than'
	Il a moins de temps que son frère. He has less time than his brother. moins que means 'less than'
	Ils l'aiment autant que notre famille. They love him∆her/it as much as our family does. autant que means 'as much as'
	Est-ce-que tu veux plus de glace ? Do you (familiar) want more ice cream?
	Elle a acheté plus de fleurs qu'hier. She bought more flowers than yesterday. Noun: de fleurs splits plus que ⇒ plus de fleurs que
	Je veux plus de crème que lui. I want more cream than him. stressed pronoun used after que
	Sa sœur a moins de courage qu'elle. Her sister has less courage than her. stressed pronoun used after que
	Il veut manger moins de sel. He wants to eat less salt.
	Tu peux manger plus si tu veux. You (familiar) can eat more if you want.
	Il a cuisiné avec moins de sel cette fois. He cooked with less salt this time.
	Cet agriculteur a autant de terres que son voisin. This farmer has as much land as his neighbor.
	Joséphine a autant de chapeaux que sa mère. Josephine has as many hats as her mother.
	Mais elle a moins de chaussures qu'elle. But she has fewer shoes than her.
	En fait, elle a moins de chaussures que de chapeaux. In fact she has fewer shoes than hats. Use the partitive twice to compare to quantities
	Nous avons autant de pommes que de poires. We have as many apples as pears.
	Il y a plus de monde que de chaises - que faire ? There are more people than chairs - what to do?