plus que
The English phrase 'more than' is expressed in French as plus que.
plus que is used to indicate that a quantity or amount is greater than a specified number or limit.
Which one should you use?
While plus que means 'more than', it is distinct from plus (meaning 'more' or 'no more') when used in negative contexts like ne… plus.
How does it change in a sentence?
When 'more than' is followed by a noun to indicate a quantity of something, plus que changes to plus de (for example, plus de dix for 'more than ten'). Additionally, when using comparatives with adjectives, the adjective must agree with the subject, such as using the feminine form grande in the sentence Elle est plus grande que lui.
Did you know?
- The word que in plus que shares a distant ancestor with the English word 'what' through the Latin word quid.
- In very informal spoken French, the 'e' in que is often swallowed or omitted, making the phrase sound like 'plus qu'.
- While plus que means 'more than', the phrase plus que jamais is a common idiom meaning 'now more than ever'.
Examples in context
- Je ferai plus que ça.I'll do more than that.Tatoeba #8285698 by Aiji, translation #2546704 by CK
- J'en veux plus que ça.I want more than that.Tatoeba #11602246 by Aiji, translation #3374682 by CK
- Tu mérites plus que ça.You deserve more than that.Tatoeba #2133343 by sacredceltic, translation #1574308 by erikspen
- Il est plus grand que moiHe is taller than me
- Elle a plus d'expérience que luiShe has more experience than him
- Son résultat est supérieur à la moyenneHis result is higher than the average
- J'ai davantage de connaissances que luiI have more knowledge than him
- C'est plus difficile que je pensaisIt's more difficult than I thought
- Il a mangé plus de gâteau que moiHe ate more cake than me
- J'ai un peu plus de temps libre que toiI have a little more free time than you
- J'ai plus d'amis que toiI have more friends than you
- Elle est vraiment plus belle que les autresShe is really more beautiful than the others
- 183 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gabriel and Emma are talking about their commute times.
- GabrielTu as mis combien de temps ?How long did it take you?
- EmmaJ'ai mis plus que trente minutes.It took me more than thirty minutes.
- GabrielC'est vraiment trop long !That is really too long!
- EmmaOui, il y avait beaucoup de trafic.Yes, there was a lot of traffic.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries plus, que, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
