Les adjectifs

Descriptive adjectives are used to describe

nouns. In French, descriptive adjectives usually

follow the nouns they modify. Descriptive
adjectives may also follow forms of the verb tre
(to be): il/elle est... (he/she/it is . . . ); ils/ elles
sont... (they are . . . ).
un professeur intressant

an interesting teacher
un ami sincre
a sincere friend
Il est pratique.
He/It is practical.
Elle est sportive.
She is athletic.

Agreement of Adjectives in
Gender and Number
In French, adjectives agree in both gender and

number with the nouns they modify. The feminine

form of adjectives usually ends in -e. The regular
plural adds an s.
Singular

Plural

Masculine un ami intelligent des amis intelligents

Feminine une amie intelligente

intelligentes

des amies

 If the masculine singular form of the adjective ends in

an unaccented or silent -e, the ending remains the

same in the feminine singular.
Cest un homme extraordinaire. Hes an extraordinary

man.
Cest une femme extraordinaire. Shes an extraordinary
woman.
With nouns that are modifi ed (accompanied by an
adjective or other descriptor), use the indefi nite subject
pronoun ce (cest.../ce sont...).With cest and ce sont
(these are/those are), articles or possessive
adjectives are always used before a noun. At times, the
context will identify the person.
Paul est optimiste.
Paul is optimistic.
Mais Claire est pessimiste.
But Claire is

 If the singular form of an adjective ends in -s or -x,

the plural ending remains the same.

Bradley est anglais; les amis

Bradley is

English; Bradleys
de Bradley sont aussi anglais. friends are also
English.
M. Blin est gnreux; ses (his) Mr. Blin is
generous; his
enfants sont aussi gnreux.
children are also
generous.

 If a plural subject or group contains one or more

masculine items or people, the plural adjective is

masculine.

Suzanne et Georges

are
sont intelligents.
Suzanne et Amlie sont
Amlie are
intelligentes.

Suzanne and Georges

intelligent.
Suzanne and

intelligent.

 Invariable adjectives or adjectival phrases do not

change in gender or number.

Ce sont des chaussures chic These are stylish and

inexpensive
et bon march.

shoes.

 Some descriptive adjectives have irregular forms.

Singular
MASCULINE

FEMININE
ENGLISH
conservateur
conservatrice
conservative
courageux
courageuse
courageous
fier
fire
proud
Gentil
gentille
nice
Naturel
naturelle
natural
Parisien
parisienne
Parisian
sportif
sportive
athletic
travailleur
travailleuse
hardworking

 Plural
MASCULINE

FEMININE
ENGLISH
conservateurs conservatrices conservative
courageux
courageuses
courageous
fiers
fires
proud
gentils
gentilles
nice
naturels
naturelles
natural
parisiens
parisiennes
Parisian
Sportifs
sportives
athletic
travailleurs
travailleuses
hardworking

 Other descriptive adjectives with irregular

forms include the followin

examples:
canadien (canadienne)

Canadian
cher (chre)
expensive; dear
conspirateur (conspiratrice) conspiratorial
ennuyeux (ennuyeuse)
boring
naf (nave)
nave
paresseux (paresseuse)
lazy
srieux (srieuse)
serious

 Adjectives of Color
Adjectives of color normally follow the noun and

agree with it in gender and in number.

une chemise bleue
des livres gris

des chaussures vertes

a blue shirt
gray books
green shoes

 Two adjectives of color, blanc and violet, have

irregular feminine forms.

un crayon blanc

a white pencil
une chemise blanche a white shirt
des cahiers violets
purple notebooks
des voitures violettes purple cars

 Adjectives of color ending in silent -e are spelled

the same in both masculine and feminine.

des cahiers (m. pl.) jaunes

notebooks
des fleurs (f. pl.) jaunes
une chaise rouge
un manteau rouge
des pull-overs (m. pl.) roses
des chaussettes (f. pl.) roses

yellow
yellow fl owers
a red chair
a red coat
pink sweaters
pink socks

 Two adjectives of color, marron and orange, are

invariable in gender and number.

des chaussures marron (f. pl.)
des sacs orange (m. pl.)

brown shoes
orange

handbags

The names of colors are masculine when

used as nouns.

Jaime le rose et le bleu. I love pink and blue.

 Adjectives That Precede the Noun

Most descriptive adjectives follow the noun, but these

adjectives usually precede it:

autre other
joli(e) pretty
beau (m. s.) beautiful, handsome
mauvais(e) bad
bon(ne) good
mme same
grand(e) big, tall; great
nouveau (m. s.) new
gros(se) fat, big
petit(e) small; short
jeune young
vieux (m. s.) old

 The adjectives beau (beautiful, handsome),

nouveau (new), and vieux (old) are irregular. In

addition, each has a second masculine singular form
that is used before a vowel sound or mute h.
Singular
Plural
Masculine
beau
beaux
Un
nouveau livre
de nouveaux
livres
vieux
vieux

Masculine Before Vowel Sound

Un

bel
un nouvel objet
vieil
Feminine
belle
une nouvelle auto

beaux
de nouveaux objets
vieux
belles
de nouvelles autos

 Pronounce the examples below, and practice by

substituting other nouns for maison and homme.

What changes do you need to make in the

articles
and adjectives?
Cest une belle maison. Its a pretty house.
Cest un vieil homme. Hes an old man.

Cest le nouveau professeur. Thats the new

teacher

 When a plural adjective precedes a plural noun, the

indefinite article des usually shortens to de/d, as

you may have noticed in the previous chart.
de grandes autos
de nouvelles ides
dautres amis

(some) big cars

(some) new ideas
(some) other friends

However, colloquial French often retains des before

the plural.
Ce sont des bons copains! Theyre good pals!

A few adjectives that usually precede

nouns can also follow them. This change of
position causes a change in meaning. For
example:

un ancien professeur

(a former teacher)
une maison ancienne (an ancient [very old]
house)
le dernier exercice
(the fi nal exercise)
lanne dernire (f.) (last year)
un pauvre garon
(an unfortunate boy)
un garon pauvre
(a poor [not rich]
boy)
une chre amie
(a dear friend)
un repas cher
(an expensive meal)

 Les adjectifs descriptifs (Descriptive

Adjectives)
agrable (pleasant)
heureux (-euse) (happy)

avare (stingy)
idaliste (idealistic)
beau (bel, belle) (beautiful/handsome)

intelligent(e) (intelligent)
bon (bonne) (good)
intressant(e) (interesting)
bon march (inv.) (inexpensive)
jeune (young)
cher (chre) (expensive; dear)
joli(e) (pretty)

 chic (inv.) (stylish, chic)

laid(e) (ugly)
content(e) (happy, pleased)

mauvais(e) (bad)
costaud(e) (sturdy [person])
mince (thin)

dernier (-ire) (last, fi nal)

nouveau/nouvel/nouvelle (new)
dsol(e) (sorry) p

auvre (poor)

diffi cile (difficult)

petit(e) (small; short)
drle (funny)
premier (-ire) (fi rst)
excellent(e) (excellent)
riche (rich)
facile (easy)
sincre (sincere)
fantastique (wonderful)
sociable (friendly)
fatigu(e) (tired)
sympathique (nice)
formidable (fabulous)
timide (shy, timid)
fort(e) (strong)
triste (sad)
grand(e) (big, tall; great)
typique (typical)
gros(se) (fat) vieux/vieil/vieille (old)

 Les couleurs (Colors)

blanc(he) (white) blond(e) (blond[e])

bleu(e) (blue) brun(e) (dark-haired

 Write the feminine singular form of the adjectives

given.
1. intressant
2. naf
3. agrable
4. srieux
5. jaune
6. marron
7. bleu
8. costaud
9. fier
10. chic

11. cher
12. conservateur
13. beau
14. gros
15. actif
16. gentil
17. travailleur
18. drle
19. vieux
20. heureux

 1.intressante
2. nave
3. agrable

4. srieuse
5. jaune
6. marron

7. bleue
8. costaude
9. fire
10. chic

 11. chre
12. conservatrice
13. belle
14. grosse
15. active
16. gentille
17. travailleuse
18. drle
19. vieille
20. heureuse

 Complete the phrases with the correct adjective that

agrees in gender and number.

1. le (old) homme
2. la situation (diffi cult)
3. la (beautiful) maison
4. la personne (nice)
5. les fl eurs (yellow)
6. des amis (sincere)
7. un (great) homme
8. une voiture (ancient)
9. d (former) professeurs
10. des appartements (inexpensive)
11. une comdie (funny)
12. un livre (interesting)

1. vieil
2. Diffiicile
3. belle
4. gentille
5. jaunes
6. sincres
7. grand
8. ancienne
9. anciens
10. bon march/pas chers
11. drle
12. intressant

 Write the plural form of each of the noun-adjective

phrases.
1. une lampe bleue
2. un ami srieux
3. le chat gris
4. une Suisse sympathique
5. une personne costaude
6. le bel appartement
7. un jeune garon
8. un examen diffi cile
9. le dernier train
10. le quartier ancien

 1. des lampes bleues

2. des amis srieux
3. les chats gris
4. des Suisses sympathiques
5. des personnes costaudes
6. les beaux appartements
7. de jeunes garons
8. des examens difficiles
9. les derniers trains
10. les quartiers anciens

 Translate the phrases into French.

1. the dark-haired men
2. the kind woman
3. (some) red shoes
4. the old hotels
5. the beautiful apartments
6. the interesting courses

7. the courageous heroes

8. the rich appetizers
9. (some) expensive cars
10. (some) idealistic Americans

11. the great universities

12. (some) new books

1. les hommes bruns

2. la femme gentille/sympathique
3. des chaussures rouges
4. les vieux htels
5. les beaux appartements
6. les cours intressants
7. les hros courageux 8
. les hors-doeuvre riches
9. des voitures chres
10.Amricains idalistes
11. les grandes universits
12. de nouveaux livres
13. les chapeaux orange
14. des tragdies tristes
15. les professeurs travailleurs 1
16. despersonnes fi res