Quantities describe how much of a thing there is or how much a person does. Making comparisons of quantities in French in a bit different from comparing quantities in English.
Compare quantities of an item in French
The comparative of a quantity looks a little different from its fellow comparatives in French — specifically, it uses de (of).
For more [of something], use this formula:
plus de + noun + que + the original item of the comparison
Example: Il a plus de chance que son ami. (He has more luck than his friend.)
For less [of something], use this formula:
moins de + noun + que + the original item of the comparison
Example: On a moins de vacances que nos parents. (We have less vacation than our parents.)
For as much/as many [of something], use this construction:
autant de + noun + que + the original item of the comparison
Example: Il y a autant de soleil à Nice qu’à Cannes. (There’s as much sun in Nice as in Cannes.)
Note that before a vowel, que becomes qu’ and de becomes d’.
Compare quantities of an action in French
You can also compare how much something is done, which is how you express things like your little brother eats as much as an ogre (il mange autant qu’un ogre). Because in this construction you don’t express a quantity of something, the comparisons don’t use de.
To say someone does something more than someone else:
verb + plus que + the second item of the comparison
For example: Il lit plus que sa femme. (He reads more than his wife.)
To say that someone does something less than someone else:
verb + moins que + the second item of the comparison
For example: Vous sortez moins que nous. (You go out less than us.)
To say that someone does something as much as someone else:
verb + autant que + the second item of the comparison
For example: Cet employé travaille autant que son patron. (This employee works as much as his boss.)
