Adjectives

An adjective is a word that is used to describe something or someone.

They are formed from:

• Nouns: la tradition – traditionnel(le)

• Present participles: vivant – vivant(e)

• Past participles: fumé – fumé(e)

In French, adjectives have to agree with the noun that it is describing, whether it is masculine, feminine, singular or plural.

Here are the general endings for adjectives:

Ma mère a les cheveux blonds.

Elle a des amies françaises.

Masculine Feminine

Singular - E

Plural S ES

However, adjectives which already end in E doesn’t need another one in the feminine but an S still needs to be added for plurals.

Une amie timide

Des cousins timides

For adjectives that end in a single consonant, double the consonant and add E:

Masculine Feminine

EL culturel culturelle

IL gentil gentille

AS gras grasse

ET muet muette

EN ancien ancienne

Some adjectives have their own patterns:• ER changes to ÈREPremier/première• X changes to SEHeureux/heureuse- Exceptions: Faux/fausse• EUR changes to EUSEMenteur/menteuse- Exceptions: Meilleur, extérieur, intérieur (just add an E)• F changes to VESportif/sportive• C changes to CHE or QUEBlanc/blanchePublic/publique

• Adjectives that end in X don’t require an S in the plural.

Mes parents heureux

• Adjectives ending in AL or EAU change to AUX in the plural.

Beau/beaux

International/internationaux

Here are some examples of adjectives which don’t change whether they are masculine, feminine, singular or plural:

• Marron

• Sympa

• Orange

• Super

• This also applies to any compound colours:

Une robe vert clair

Negative adjectives

• Some adjectives become negative using a prefix:- (in)croyable- (im)possible- (ir)réel- (mé)content- (mal)honnête• Some adjectives become negative by placing the

words PAS TRÈS or PEU:Peu amusantPas très intéressant

Some adjectives have their own patterns whether they are masculine, feminine, singular or plural:

Beau, nouveau, and vieux become bel, nouvel and vieil before a masculine noun that starts with a vowel or a silent H.

Masculine Singular

Feminine singular

Masculine Plural

Feminine plural

beau belle beaux belles

nouveau nouvelle nouveaux nouvelles

long longue longs longues

bon bonne bons bonnes

gros grosse gros grosses

vieux vielle vieux vielles

Position of adjectives

• Most adjectives go after the noun

Les cheveux blonds

• Some adjectives go before the noun

Les nouvelles technologies

Position of adjectives

The following adjectives can go before and after the noun but their meaning is different depending on the position of the adjective:

Son ancien mari/une femme ancienne

Adjective Meaning before the noun Meaning after the noun

grand tall great

ancien Previous/former old

cher dear expensive

propre own clean

brave decent brave

• When there are several adjectives describing one noun, all adjectives are in their normal places

Les beaux yeux bleus

• If there are two adjectives after the noun, they are linked with ET

Un maillot de foot bleu et blanc

• When an adjective describes two or more nouns which are a mixture of masculine and feminine nouns, the adjective takes on the masculine plural form

Un stylo et une gomme bleus.