meilleur

Irregular Comparative Adjective Meilleur

Level 2

In French, you cannot say 'plus bon' to mean 'better.' Instead, you must use the irregular form meilleur. It functions as an adjective, meaning it must agree in gender and number with the noun it describes.

How It Works

While most French adjectives become comparative by adding plus (more), the adjective bon is irregular.

1. Agreement with Nouns
Because meilleur is an adjective, you must change its ending to match the noun:

  • Masculine Singular: meilleur
  • Feminine Singular: meilleure
  • Masculine Plural: meilleurs
  • Feminine Plural: meilleures

All these forms are pronounced exactly the same way.

2. Comparative vs. Superlative
To say 'better than,' use meilleur que. To say 'the best,' simply add a definite article (le, la, or les) before it.

3. Meilleur vs. Mieux
This is a common point of confusion. Use meilleur to describe nouns (things or people). Use mieux to describe verbs (actions).
Ce café est meilleur (The coffee is better - noun).
Il chante mieux (He sings better - action).

4. Idiomatic Exceptions
In a few specific cases related to the weather or senses, meilleur can act like an adverb and stays masculine singular:

  • Il fait meilleur dehors. (The weather is nicer/better outside.)
  • Cette soupe sent meilleur. (This soup smells better.)

Examples (5)

  1. Cette pomme est meilleure que l'autre.

    This apple is better than the other one.

    Word by Word: This apple is better than the other.

    Since 'pomme' is feminine singular, we use the feminine form 'meilleure'.

  2. C'est le meilleur restaurant de Paris.

    It is the best restaurant in Paris.

    Word by Word: It is the best restaurant of Paris.

    Adding 'le' before 'meilleur' turns the comparative 'better' into the superlative 'the best'.

  3. Tes résultats sont meilleurs cette année.

    Your results are better this year.

    Word by Word: Your results are better this year.

    Since 'résultats' is masculine plural, we add an 's' to 'meilleurs'.

  4. Mes amies sont les meilleures.

    My (female) friends are the best.

    Word by Word: My friends are the best.

    Here, 'meilleures' is feminine plural to agree with 'amies'.

  5. Ce vin est bon, mais celui-là est meilleur.

    This wine is good, but that one is better.

    Word by Word: This wine is good, but that-one is better.

    A simple comparison showing the jump from 'bon' to 'meilleur'.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 'plus bon' instead of 'meilleur'.

    Ce gâteau est plus bon que l'autre.
    Ce gâteau est meilleur que l'autre.

    'Plus bon' is grammatically incorrect in French when you want to say 'better.' You must always use the irregular form 'meilleur'.

  • Confusing 'meilleur' (adjective) with 'mieux' (adverb).

    Elle court meilleure que moi.
    Elle court mieux que moi.

    'Courir' (to run) is a verb. To describe an action, you must use the adverb 'mieux.' 'Meilleur' is only for describing nouns.

  • Forgetting gender and number agreement in writing.

    Une meilleur idée.
    Une meilleure idée.

    Even though they sound the same, you must add an 'e' for feminine nouns and an 's' for plural nouns in writing.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

meilleurLevel 2Irregular Comparative Adjective Meilleur

Learn This First

To understand 'meilleur', a learner needs to be familiar with the general concept of comparison in French using 'plus...que'. Since 'meilleur' is an adjective, they must also understand basic adjective agreement and the distinction between the adjective 'bon' and the adverb 'bien' to avoid common confusion with 'mieux'.

Words in This Pattern

meilleur