French Superlative Adverbs

Superlative adverbs express absolute superiority or inferiority. Superiority, the idea that something is "the most ___" or "the ___est," is expressed with le plus ___ in French. Inferiority, meaning that something is "the least ___," is stated with le moins ___.

Notes about French Superlatives

1. Unlike comparatives, French superlatives require the definite article. For example, Il est le plus grand - "He's the tallest."

2. Superlatives are are most commonly used with adjectives, but you can also use them with adverbs, verbs, and nouns. These comparisons have slightly different constructions for each part of speech. Click in the summary table below for detailed lessons.