Adjectives in French
Key Concepts
1. Agreement of Adjectives
In French, adjectives must agree in gender and number with the nouns they describe. This means that the form of the adjective changes depending on whether the noun is masculine, feminine, singular, or plural.
Example: The adjective "grand" (big) changes to "grande" when describing a feminine noun.
- Un arbre grand (a big tree - masculine singular)
- Une maison grande (a big house - feminine singular)
2. Placement of Adjectives
Adjectives in French generally come after the noun they describe, unlike in English where they often precede the noun. However, there are exceptions, especially for certain descriptive adjectives that can come before the noun.
Example: The adjective "rouge" (red) comes after the noun "voiture" (car).
- La voiture rouge (the red car)
3. Adjective Endings
The endings of adjectives change to reflect the gender and number of the noun. For example, adjectives ending in "-e" for feminine singular nouns and "-s" for plural nouns.
Example: The adjective "beau" (beautiful) changes to "belle" for feminine nouns and "beaux" for plural masculine nouns.
- Un paysage beau (a beautiful landscape - masculine singular)
- Une ville belle (a beautiful city - feminine singular)
- Des paysages beaux (beautiful landscapes - plural masculine)
Explanation and Examples
Agreement of Adjectives
Adjectives must match the noun in both gender and number. This ensures that the description is accurate and grammatically correct.
Example: The adjective "petit" (small) changes to "petite" for feminine nouns and "petits" for plural nouns.
- Un chat petit (a small cat - masculine singular)
- Une souris petite (a small mouse - feminine singular)
- Des chats petits (small cats - plural masculine)
Placement of Adjectives
While most adjectives follow the noun, some descriptive adjectives, such as "bon" (good), "mauvais" (bad), and "beau" (beautiful), can precede the noun for emphasis.
Example: The adjective "bon" (good) can come before the noun for emphasis.
- Un bon ami (a good friend)
- Un ami bon (a good friend)
Adjective Endings
Adjective endings change to reflect the gender and number of the noun, ensuring that the description is accurate and grammatically correct.
Example: The adjective "intelligent" (intelligent) changes to "intelligente" for feminine nouns and "intelligents" for plural nouns.
- Un élève intelligent (an intelligent student - masculine singular)
- Une élève intelligente (an intelligent student - feminine singular)
- Des élèves intelligents (intelligent students - plural masculine)