le / la / les plus
Superlative with Le Plus
The superlative identifies the member of a group with the highest degree of a quality. It is formed by: Definite Article (le/la/les) + plus + Adjective.
How It Works
The superlative allows you to compare one thing against a whole group to say it is the 'most' or 'least' of something.
1. Basic Formation
To form the superlative of superiority (the most), use the definite article (le, la, or les) followed by plus and the adjective. For the superlative of inferiority (the least), use moins instead of plus.
- Le plus grand (The tallest - masc. sing.)
- La moins chère (The least expensive - fem. sing.)
2. Placement and the 'Double Article' Rule
The placement depends on the adjective's usual position:
- If the adjective usually comes before the noun (like BAGS adjectives), the superlative also comes before: La plus belle fleur.
- If the adjective usually comes after the noun, the superlative follows the noun, and you must repeat the article: Le livre le plus intéressant (The most interesting book).
3. Irregular Forms
The adjective 'bon' (good) does not use 'plus'. It has a special irregular form:
- Le meilleur / La meilleure (The best)
- C'est la meilleure pizza ! (It's the best pizza!)
4. Prepositions for Groups
When specifying the group or location, always use de (or its contractions du, des):
C'est l'homme le plus riche du monde. (He is the richest man in the world.)
Examples (5)
- C'est la plus belle ville de France.
It is the most beautiful city in France.
Word by Word: It is the most beautiful city of France.
Since 'belle' is a BAGS adjective, the superlative 'la plus belle' comes before the noun 'ville'.
- Il a acheté la voiture la plus rapide.
He bought the fastest car.
Word by Word: He has bought the car the most fast.
For adjectives that follow the noun, like 'rapide', you must repeat the article: 'la voiture LA plus rapide'.
- Ce sont les exercices les plus difficiles du livre.
These are the most difficult exercises in the book.
Word by Word: These are the exercises the most difficult of the book.
Note the use of 'du' (of the) to mean 'in the' when referring to the group/source.
- Marc est le plus grand de la classe.
Marc is the tallest in the class.
Word by Word: Marc is the most tall of the class.
The article 'le' agrees with the masculine subject 'Marc'.
- C'est le film le plus intéressant que j'ai vu.
It's the most interesting movie I've seen.
Word by Word: It is the movie the most interesting that I have seen.
The article 'le' is repeated because 'intéressant' follows the noun 'film'.
Common Mistakes
Using 'le plus bon' instead of 'le meilleur'.
C'est le plus bon gâteau.C'est le meilleur gâteau.The adjective 'bon' is irregular. You must use le meilleur (the best) instead of 'le plus bon'.
Using 'dans' instead of 'de' for the reference group.
C'est le plus grand dans la classe.C'est le plus grand de la classe.The group is usually introduced by de (of), even if English uses 'in': 'le plus grand de la classe'. ('Parmi' is also possible.)
Forgetting to repeat the article when the adjective follows the noun.
C'est le film plus long.C'est le film le plus long.If the adjective is placed after the noun, you must include the definite article twice: once for the noun and once for the superlative.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To learn the superlative, you must first understand how definite articles (le, la, les) work and how adjectives agree with nouns. Familiarity with the comparative form 'plus... que' is also essential as the superlative builds directly upon that structure.
- le (article défini)Definite Article Le (Masculine)
The superlative is formed by combining the definite article (le, la, or les) with the adverb 'plus'.
Level 1 - plus...queComparative of Superiority
The superlative 'le plus' is the logical progression of the comparative 'plus... que', using the same adverb to indicate degree.
Level 1
Related Patterns
- Adjectives that come before the noun
Knowing which adjectives come before the noun is essential for placing the superlative correctly.
Level 1 - meilleurIrregular Comparative Adjective Meilleur
The adjective 'bon' (good) has an irregular superlative form 'le meilleur' (the best) instead of 'le plus bon'.
Level 2 - Adjective agreement concept
Superlatives follow the same agreement rules as standard adjectives.
Level 1 - du (de + le)Contraction De + Le = Du
Since superlatives use 'de' to indicate a group, you will frequently use contractions like 'du' and 'des'.
Level 1
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice le / la / les plus in Bubblegum
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