the word "plus"

[Thomas]

Ok, here's a question for all of you about French which always trips me up (i.e. confuses me): with the word "plus", I know that sometimes the "s" gets pronounced, and sometimes it does not. However, I can never remember when to pronounce it and when not to. And I don't mean any sort of liaison, but rather when it's used in different contexts with different meanings.

Any ideas

[Ben54]

You can pronounce the "s" when you say "1 + 1 = 2" : un plu(s) un. It means there is an addition. According to me, in others cases, we don't pronounce the "s" ex : "je ne veux plus".

I hope to have helped you...

[Alfast]

logic and good reflexion

[Thomas]

What about the phrase "rien de plus" ? Is the "s" pronounced there?

[Ben54]

Yes, we pronounced "S" there.

[Bettina]

un+( plus) un

rien de+ (plus)

donne moi + (plus)

un an de + (plus)

il veux + (plus)

raconte moi encore plus)

In all these cases you can say in your head +(more or once more) so you have to pronounce the "s"


je ne te vois plus

je ne veux plus

il n'y en a plus

je n'en peux plus

je ne te crois plus

Here you can't say the +(more or once more). It's not possible. So you don't pronounce the "s"

Could it be clear for you, Thomas ?

Oh dear it's not easy to say what I mean... but I hope you understand me

[Alfast]

It's easy, if you use plus to add, you pronounce the S and if you use plus in negative you don't pronounce the S

[Flo]

C'est toujours des questions "piège" et je crois qu'Alfast a ben résumé le problème... Mais si tu viens dans le Sud de la France, alors tu verras que les Provençaux prononcent souvent les terminaisons!!!
Dans tes podasts, au lieu de dire littéralement, tu peux dire "mot à mot", c'est plus courant dans la langue parlée...

to the next time Flo

[Bettina]

Alfast, that's what I wanted to say to Thomas, but I didn't know to say it in only one sentence. Congratulation! 

[Alfast]

thank you very much

[Thomas]

Actually, this does help quite a bit! Thanks a bunch you guys. Alfast, that rule is pretty easy to remember I think, and Bettina, those examples are definitely useful, too

[mamour]

Hi Thomas!I don't know "Thanks a bunch" I knew thanks a lot,thank you very much..not thanks a bunch!!can you say what that means please?

[mamour]

In the comparativ of superiority you do not pronounce S
il est plus grand que sa soeur Isabelle ,elle est plus vieille que Sébastien

but sometimes and in front a vowel,you pronounce it Z because you make the liaison

il est plu(z) intelligent que son copain
Muriel est plu(z) agée que Pierre

je suis plu(z) ou moins fatiguée......
     

[mamour]

and like your example "rien de plus" that's depends on context:
  vous n'avez rien de plus grand? you do not pronounce S (superlativ of superiority)
but if you say:
  voulez vous autre chose?
non rien de plus, you pronounce S (to add)

and here I confuse you,don't I ?

[Paeleben]

mamour > I think it's only because of connexions between the words.

For example, you say "Vous n'avez rien de plus grand ?", you say that we don't pronounce the "S" but i think it's only because there is a negation...

In your both cases, it's similar. I think like Alfast, it's only because of the negation and nothing else.

"J'aimerais manger plus de bonbons" -> "S" will be pronouced.
"Merci beaucoup mais je n'en veux plus" -> "S" won't be pronouced.

Moreover, when you say "rien de plus", even if the context is negative, the sentence is affirmative because there isn't "ne...pas". Therefore, you can say the "S".