Language/French/Grammar/Difference-between-meilleur-and-mieux
meilleur(e)(s) and le/la/les meilleur(e)(s) are the comparative and superlative forms respectively of the adjective bon 'good', mieux and le mieux are the comparative and superlative forms respectively of the adverb bien 'well'.
Finish this lesson and explore these related pages: Possessive determiners, Omission of the article, Past Tense & Adjectives agreeing with just one noun.
Mieux VS Meilleur[edit | edit source]
Rule[edit | edit source]
Mieux is an adverb. This is the comparison of bien.
Meilleur is an adjective. This is the comparison of bon. It agrees with the noun it modifies:
- meilleurs (masculine plural)
- meilleure (feminine)
- meilleures (feminine plural)
Videos[edit | edit source]
Video: Mieux VS Meilleur - A2[edit | edit source]
Video: Mieux vs Meilleur What is the Best?[edit | edit source]
When "Meilleur" and "Mieux" are both possible[edit | edit source]
Since the adverb bien 'well' can also sometimes function as an adjective close in meaning to bon, particularly with être, there are contexts where meilleur and mieux are both possible:
- Tout est bien/Tout est mieux
Everything is fine/Everything is better
- Tout est bon/Tout est meilleur
Everything is good/Everything is better
- Elle est bien comme directeur/Elle est mieux comme directeur
She is fine as a director/She is better as a director
- Elle est bonne comme directeur/Elle est meilleure comme directeur
She is good as a director/She is better as a director
- On est bien ici/On est mieux ici
We're fine here/We're better here
- C'est bon ici/C'est meilleur ici
Ifs good here/It's better here
Summary Table: Difference between meilleur(e)(s) and mieux, and le(s) meilleur(e)(s) and le mieux[edit | edit source]
Adjective | bon | good |
---|---|---|
Adverb | bien | well |
Adjective | meilleur(s) | better |
meilleure(s) | ||
Adverb | mieux | |
Adjective | le meilleur | the best |
la meilleure | ||
les meilleur(e)s | ||
Adverb | le mieux |
Examples[edit | edit source]
French | English |
---|---|
Il désire avoir une meilleure place | He wants to have a better seat |
Ces marchandises sont meilleures | These goods are better |
Elle s'habille mieux que les autres | She dresses better than the others |
Elle s'habille le mieux de toutes | She dresses the best of all |
Sources[edit | edit source]
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjVLtnkfOkU
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTe_OhAaVxU
- https://www.francaisfacile.com/exercices/exercice-francais-2/exercice-francais-6915.php
Other Lessons[edit | edit source]
- y and en as an integral part of the verb structure
- Use of il ils and elle elles
- Much More Little Less
- Use of l'on
- il or ça with impersonal verbs
- Differences in the use of numbers in French and English Kings, queens and popes
- Pronominal verbs used as passives
- Form of the article with adjectives and nouns beginning with a vowel or an h
- Use of the definite article with parts of the body
- Reciprocal se and cases of potential ambiguity
- Use of the neutral pronoun le
- Agreement of the past participle having the auxiliary "être" in compound tenses
- Possessive determiners
- How to use « il s'agit de » in French
- Subjunctive versus indicative in clauses dependent on a superlative adjective