How to Pronounce the French Adverb Plus

The French adverb  plus  has different pronunciations, depending on how its used. Generally speaking, when  plus  has a positive meaning (e.g., more, extra, additional) it is pronounced [ploos]. When it is used as a negative adverb (meaning no more), it is usually pronounced [ploo]. A simple way to remember this is by thinking that the positive sense of the word has an extra sound, while the negative sense does not. In other words, the [s] sound is  subtracted  when the word has a  negative  meaning and  added  when it has a  positive  meaning. (Clever, right?)   This general pronunciation rule applies to  plus  when its used as an affirmative or negative adverb. When used as a comparative or superlative, the rules are somewhat different. Affirmative Adverb  [ploos] In the affirmative, Plus de means more (than) or additional Je veux plus de beurre.  I want more butter.Il y aura plus de choix demain.  There will be additional choices tomorrow.Jai plus de 1 000 livres.  I have more than 1,000 books. Negative Adverb  [ploo] On the other hand, in the negative, Ne ... plus  is a negative adverb, meaning no more or not any more Je ne le veux plus.  I dont want it anymore.   Je ne veux plus de beurre.   I dont want any more butter.   Plus de beurre, merci.** No more butter, thank you. Non plus  means neither or not ... either Je naime pas les pommes non plus.   I dont like apples either. - Je nai pas de montre.- Moi non plus  !      Ã‚  - Me neither! Ne ... plus que  means only or nothing more than Il ny a plus que miettes.   There are only crumbs (left). - Y a-t-il des pommes  ?  -Are there any apples?- Plus quune.**    - Only one Ne ... pas plus  means no more than (pretty much the same thing as  ne ... plus que) Il ny a pas plus de 3 mà ©decins.   There are no more than 3 doctors. - Puis-je emprunter un stylo  ? - Can I borrow a pen?- Je nen ai pas plus dun.      -I only have one. **Note:  There are a few expressions in which  plus  is negative without  ne, because there is no verb for  ne  to negate. Note that these are normally at the beginning of a clause: Plus besoin (de)  - (theres) no more need (to/of)Plus de   noun - (theres) no more nounPlus maintenant  - not any more, not any longerPlus que   noun - (there are) only ___ more In addition, the  ne  is often omitted in spoken, informal French (learn more). This is when pronouncing or not pronouncing the [s] is most important. If you say  Je veux plus [ploo] de beurre, someone may very well think you mean you dont want any more butter. This is actually how you can learn the difference between the two pronunciations. You are eating breakfast and ask,  Y a-t-il plus [ploo] de beurre  ?  and the woman replies,  Mais si, si  !  (yes in response to a  negative question). You should have asked  Y a-t-il plus [ploos] de beurre? Comparative/Superlative Adverb Plus  as a comparative or superlative adverb is the exception to the above rules. When the comparative or superlative  plus  is in the middle of a sentence, it is pronounced [ploo], unless it precedes a vowel, in which case the  liaison  causes it to be pronounced [plooz]. When  plus  is at the end of a sentence, as in the final example, it is pronounced [ploos]. Plus ... que  or  plus ... de  indicates superiority in  comparatives  and can compare   adjectives   Je suis plus  grand  quelle.  Im taller than she is. adverbs   Je cours plus  vite  quelle.   I run faster than she does. nouns   Jai plus damis  quelle.   I have more friends than she does. verbs   Je  cours  plus quelle.  I run more than she does. Le plus  or  le plus de  indicates superiority in  superlatives  and can compare adjectives   Je suis le plus  grand  Ãƒ ©tudiant.  Im the tallest student. adverbs   Je cours le plus  vite.   I run the fastest. nouns   Jai le plus damis.   I have the most friends. verbs   Je  cours  le plus.   I run the most.