plus jeune
The English word "younger" is translated into French as plus jeune.
The adjective is used to describe someone in an earlier period of life. To make a direct comparison, such as saying "younger than," you use the phrase plus jeune que.
Meaning: in an earlier period of life (adj)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is constructed literally as plus (more) and jeune (young).
Which one should you use?
While plus jeune means "younger," the phrase le plus jeune means "the youngest."
How does it change in a sentence?
To express "younger" in the plural, add an s to the adjective to get plus jeunes.
Did you know?
- When talking about a 'younger' brother or sister in a familial context, French speakers often use the noun cadet rather than the adjective plus jeune.
- The French phrase jeune premier is a theater term used to describe the 'young lead' or the romantic juvenile male lead in a play.
- The Latin root for jeune, *iuvenem*, is also the ancestor of the English word 'juvenile', which carries a much more legalistic or formal connotation.
Examples in context
- Il a l'air plus jeune.He looks younger.Tatoeba #12052452 by Amastan, translation #8233181 by Amastan
- Tu as l'air plus jeune.You look younger.Tatoeba #1147489 by sacredceltic, translation #1626137 by CK
- Tu es plus jeune que moi.You're younger than me.Tatoeba #1147765 by sacredceltic, translation #5938895 by CK
- Le président est plus jeune que son prédécesseur.The president is younger than his predecessor.
- Marie est plus jeune que son frère.Marie is younger than her brother.
- Tu sais, mon petit frère est plus jeune que moi.You know, my little brother is younger than me.
- Ma sœur est moins âgée que moi.My sister is younger than me.
- 144 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Léa and Nathan are looking at an old family photo.
- LéaRegarde, j'étais plus jeune sur cette photo.Look, I was younger in this photo.
- NathanOui, tu avais seulement dix ans.Yes, you were only ten years old.
- LéaEt Nathan était encore plus jeune que moi.And Nathan was even younger than me.
- NathanC'est vrai, j'étais un bébé !That's true, I was a baby!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries jeune, plus, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
