Plus in French Expressions
The French word plus can be used in any of a number of different expressions or as an adverb.
Its usage, especially in such similar-looking expressions as en plus and de plus, can be confusing. In addition, it can be pronounced in three different ways: [ploos] - [ploo] - [plooz]. This lesson will cover the different expressions and uses of plus and explain how to pronounce it in each situation.
Most of the time, plus can be pronounced [ploo] or [ploos] according to the whim of the speaker - these are unmarked. In the instances where plus must be pronounced one way or the other, the pronunciation is given below. Note that plus is pronounced [plooz] only when it precedes a vowel (due to liaison).
| En plus vs De plus En plus is used to signify something above and beyond, while de plus is used to make a comparison (this is sometimes a very subtle distinction). |
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| en plus | extra | |
| J'ai une chaise en plus. | I have an extra chair. | |
| les frais de poste en plus | shipping charges (are) extra; not including shipping | |
| en plus de | on top of | |
| En plus de ses cours, il travaille à plein-temps. | On top of his classes, he works full-time. | |
| En plus de cela... | On top of all that... | |
| de plus | more, additional, in addition, furthermore | |
| J'ai une chaise de plus. | I have an additional chair. | |
| Il a trois ans de plus que moi. | He is three years older than I am. | |
| De plus, nous sommes en retard. | (And) Furthermore, we're late. | |
| une fois de plus | once more | |
| Allons-y une fois de plus. | Let's go there one more time. | |
| de plus en plus | more and more | |
| Je deviens de plus en plus fatigué. | I'm getting more and more tired. | |
| aller de plus en plus vite | to go faster and faster | |
| au plus | at the most | |
| Tu as une heure au plus. | You have an hour at the most. | |
| tout au plus | at the very most | |
| Il a 15 minutes tout au plus. | He has 15 minutes at the very most. | |
| qui plus est [plooz] | furthermore (interchangeable with de plus) | |
| Qui plus est, je ne veux pas le faire. | And furthermore, I don't want to do it. | |
| d'autant plus ! [ploos] | All the more reason! | |
| - Je ne veux pas acheter un livre ; je n'aime pas lire. - D'autant plus ! |
- I don't want to buy a book; I don't like to read. - All the more reason (that you should)! |
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| plus + adverb [ploo] | more + adverb | |
| Marchez plus vite. | Walk more quickly. | |
| Parle plus haut ! | Speak up! | |
| plus ou moins [plooz] | more or less, about | |
| Il a plus ou moins 10 ordinateurs. | He has about 10 computers. | |
| Elle a fait plus ou moins tout. | She did more or less everything. | |
| plus que jamais [ploos] | more than ever | |
| Je t'aime plus que jamais. | I love you more than ever. | |
| tant et plus de [ploo] | ever so much, many | |
| Il y a tant et plus d'eau ! | There is ever so much water! | |
| Nous avons tant et plus de livres ! | We have ever so many books! | |
| Plus ça change... (plus c'est la même chose) | The more things change... (the more they stay the same) | |
| Plus fait douceur que violence. | Kindness succeeds where force will fail. | |
| Plus on est de fous, plus on rit. [plooz] | The more the merrier. | |
| Plus as an adverb Test on Plus |
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