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Lesson 96 of 240

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More, less, same in French

At Café des Tilleuls, two cups sit on the table: Sam's crème and Gaspard's. Gaspard has opinions about price and strength.

Odile is not so sure they differ much. Karim stops by with a crate and votes for market coffee.

You'll say more expensive, weaker, as good, about the same, and better. You'll also ask which one is cheaper.

By the end of this lesson

Compare two things as more, less, or the same.

  • C'est plus cher que ça.It's more expensive than that.
  • C'est moins fort que l'autre.It's weaker than the other one.
  • C'est aussi bon que l'autre.It's as good as the other one.
  • C'est à peu près pareil.They're about the same.
  • C'est mieux que l'autre.It's better than the other one.
  • Lequel est moins cher ?Which one is cheaper?

Scene — two cups

Saturday morning at the café. Sam has a crème. Gaspard has his usual café crème, still unfinished, on the next table.

The window table stays empty with its blank brass sign. Karim leans in the door with a crate of fruit from the market.

A wide Saturday-morning view of the café with Sam and a crème, Gaspard at the next table with an unfinished café crème, an empty window table, and Karim in the doorway with a crate of fruit.

Learn — more, less, the same

Six lines let you compare two things: more, less, as good, about the same, and better.

You'll also ask which one costs less.

  1. Karim leans in the café doorway with a crate of fruit and a firm correcting gesture about the price.

    C'est plus cher que ça.

    It's more expensive than that.

    When to use it: Say this when one thing costs more than another.

    Put plus, then the quality, then que and the other thing.

    Say it: The s in plus is silent before cher.

  2. Close on Odile at the zinc as she indicates the paler, weaker cup of two coffees.

    C'est moins fort que l'autre.

    It's weaker than the other one.

    When to use it: Say this when this one is weaker than the other.

    Put moins, then the quality, then que and the other thing.

    Say it: L'autre drops the e of le before autre.

  3. Gaspard looks from his café crème to the neighboring cup with equal approval.

    C'est aussi bon que l'autre.

    It's as good as the other one.

    When to use it: Say this when both things are equally good.

    Put aussi, then the quality, then que, to mean equally.

  4. Over Sam’s shoulder, both hands held level between two cups as if they were the same.

    C'est à peu près pareil.

    They're about the same.

    When to use it: Say this when two things are nearly the same.

    À peu près is one piece and means about.

    Say it: The s at the end of près is silent.

  5. Karim holds two fruits and lifts one as the better of the pair.

    C'est mieux que l'autre.

    It's better than the other one.

    When to use it: Say this when this one is better than the other.

    Mieux is the better form of bien, then que.

    Say it: The x in mieux is silent.

  6. Sam faces the fruit crate with open palms, looking from one fruit to the other.

    Lequel est moins cher ?

    Which one is cheaper?

    When to use it: Ask this to find the cheaper of two things.

    Lequel asks which one when the thing is masculine.

Story — Gaspard compares

Gaspard compares the two cups. Odile disagrees, and Karim brings in market coffee.

The highlighted words are the lines you just learned. Turn on Show English if you need it.

  1. Saturday at the zinc. Two cups sit side by side. The window table stays empty.
  2. OdileVoilà, mon grand.Here you go, dear.
  3. SamCelui-ci ou celui-là ?This one or that one?
  4. Gaspard looks at Sam's cup, then at his own unfinished crème.
  5. GaspardC'est plus cher que ça.It's more expensive than that.
  6. SamC'est trop cher. Lequel est moins cher ?That's too expensive. Which one is cheaper?
  7. GaspardLe mien.Mine.
  8. He nods at his own unfinished crème.
  9. GaspardC'est moins fort que l'autre.It's weaker than the other one.
  10. Odile wipes the zinc. She does not sit at the window table.
  11. OdileC'est à peu près pareil.They're about the same.
  12. SamC'est aussi bon que l'autre.It's as good as the other one.
  13. Karim lifts a paper cup from the crate.
  14. KarimJe préfère ça. C'est mieux que l'autre.I prefer that. It's better than the other one.

Practice — plus or moins

Eleven short exercises mix listening, gaps, matching, and a swap.

You'll pick the line that fits the cups on the table.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    French

    C'est plus cher que ça.Drop the English here
    C'est moins fort que l'autre.Drop the English here
    C'est aussi bon que l'autre.Drop the English here

    English

    Drag an English line onto its French, or tap one and then the other.

  3. What does it mean?

    C'est moins fort que l'autre.

  4. What do you say?

    Odile thinks the two cups are close. Agree they taste equally good.

  5. Fill the gap

    They're about the same.

    C'est à peu près ____.

  6. Swap the word

    Karim holds market coffee next to the café crème. Say it is better.

    C'est ____ que l'autre.

  7. Pick the reply

    Gaspard says:

    Je ne sais pas lequel prendre.

    I don't know which one to take.

    And you reply with:

  8. Build the line

    It's more expensive than that.

    .

    Tap the words in order.

  9. What do you say?

    Two café crèmes are on the zinc. Ask this one or that one.

  10. True or false?

    This means it tastes too strong.

  11. Fill the gap

    I prefer that

    Je ____ ça.

Say it — your call

Now you're Sam at the counter with two cups to compare. When it's your turn, tap the microphone and speak the line.

Tap ▶ first if you want to hear the line. Your recording stays on your device.

  1. GaspardRegarde les deux cafés.Look at the two coffees.
  2. Sam (you)Ask which one is cheaper.

    Lequel est moins cher ?

    Which one is cheaper?

0 of 5 said

Recap — what you can say now

FrenchEnglish
C'est plus cher que ça.It's more expensive than that.
C'est moins fort que l'autre.It's weaker than the other one.
C'est aussi bon que l'autre.It's as good as the other one.
C'est à peu près pareil.They're about the same.
C'est mieux que l'autre.It's better than the other one.
Lequel est moins cher ?Which one is cheaper?
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