French grammar · Beginner (A1)
Adjectives: agreement and position
French adjectives change to match their noun and usually come after it. Learn the endings and the short adjectives that go before.
Adjectives agree with the noun
An adjective is a word that describes a noun, like “big” or “green”. In French, the adjective agrees with the noun: it changes to match its gender (masculine or feminine) and number (singular or plural).
The basic rule: add -e for feminine and -s for plural. If the adjective already ends in -e, the feminine doesn't change: , .
| Number | Masculine | Feminine |
|---|---|---|
| Singular | ||
| Plural |
- Mon appartement est petit.My flat is small.
- Ma chambre est petite.My bedroom is small.
- Les rues sont très animées.The streets are very lively.
Other feminine endings
Some adjectives change more in the feminine. Here are the most common patterns. A few very common adjectives are irregular, like , (beautiful) and , (new).
| Masculine | Feminine | English |
|---|---|---|
| happy | ||
| sporty | ||
| Italian | ||
| expensive, dear | ||
| kind | ||
| white |
Where the adjective goes
Most French adjectives come after the noun, the opposite of English: (a red wine), (a French town). Colours and nationalities always go after.
A small group of short, very common adjectives usually go before the noun. They are often about beauty, age, goodness and size: , , , , , , , , , .
- un petit caféa small café
- une grande maison blanchea big white house
- un bon restaurant italiena good Italian restaurant
- une jolie robe noirea pretty black dress
Beau, nouveau, vieux before a vowel
Before a masculine noun starting with a vowel or a silent h, , and have a special form so the words flow together: , , .
- un bel appartementa beautiful flat
- un nouvel amia new friend
- un vieil hommean old man