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French grammar · Level A1–A2

Adjectives in French: gender, plural and position

A French adjective agrees with its noun in gender and number: un livre intéressant, une histoire intéressante, des livres intéressants. The feminine usually adds -e, the plural -s. Most adjectives go after the noun (une voiture rouge), but short common ones go before it (une petite maison).

QuizContents
Contents
  1. The feminine
  2. The plural
  3. Beau, nouveau, vieux
  4. Before or after the noun
  5. Common mistakes
  6. Quiz
  7. FAQ

The feminine

The general rule is to add -e: petit → petite, grand → grande. If the adjective already ends in -e, it doesn’t change: jeune, rouge, facile. The pronunciation often changes too: the final t of petit is silent, but you hear it in petite.

How the feminine is formed
Endingmasculinefeminine
already -ejeune · facilejeune · facile
+ -epetit · grandpetite · grande
-er → -èrecherchère
-eux → -euseheureuxheureuse
-if → -ivesportifsportive
-el, -en → -elle, -ennenaturel · italiennaturelle · italienne
irregularblanc · long · douxblanche · longue · douce

The plural

Add -s: petits, petites. Adjectives in -s or -x don’t change: gris, heureux. -al becomes -aux: national → nationaux; -eau becomes -eaux: beau → beaux. With nouns of both genders, the adjective goes into the masculine plural: un frère et une sœur contents.

  • des livres intéressantsinteresting books
  • des fleurs blancheswhite flowers
  • les problèmes sociauxsocial problems

Beau, nouveau, vieux

Three common adjectives have a special form before a masculine noun starting with a vowel or silent h: bel, nouvel, vieil — un bel homme, un nouvel ami, un vieil hôtel.

Forms of beau, nouveau, vieux
masculinebefore a vowelfeminineplural
beaubelbellebeaux · belles
nouveaunouvelnouvellenouveaux · nouvelles
vieuxvieilvieillevieux · vieilles

Before or after the noun

Most adjectives go after the noun: colours (une robe noire), nationalities (un film français), shapes and long adjectives (un exercice difficile). Short, very common ones go before it — remember them with BAGS: Beauty (beau, joli), Age (jeune, vieux, nouveau), Goodness (bon, mauvais), Size (grand, petit, gros).

  • une jolie robe rougea pretty red dress
  • un petit chat noira little black cat
  • une nouvelle voiture allemandea new German car

Tip: A few adjectives change meaning with position: un grand homme — a great man, un homme grand — a tall man; mon ancien prof — my former teacher, un meuble ancien — an antique piece of furniture.

Common mistakes

The mistakes people make most often — and the right way.

  • Wrong: une maison petit

    Right: une petite maison

    petit goes before the noun and agrees: petite.

  • Wrong: une rouge voiture

    Right: une voiture rouge

    Colours go after the noun.

  • Wrong: des livres intéressant

    Right: des livres intéressants

    Plural: -s.

  • Wrong: un beau ami

    Right: un bel ami

    Before a vowel: bel.

  • Wrong: une femme heureux

    Right: une femme heureuse

    -eux → -euse.

Adjectives: gender, plural, position

Quiz

10 questions: choose the right option — the explanation appears straight away.

  1. Question 1

    C’est une _____ maison.

  2. Question 2

    Elle porte une robe _____.

  3. Question 3

    J’ai deux chats _____.

  4. Question 4

    C’est un _____ ami.

  5. Question 5

    Ma sœur est très _____.

  6. Question 6

    Mes parents sont _____.

  7. Question 7

    C’est une _____ idée.

  8. Question 8

    J’ai vu un film _____.

  9. Question 9

    Quel _____ hôtel !

  10. Question 10

    Les problèmes _____ sont importants.

Correct: 0 of 10

Read next

FAQ

Didn’t find your answer? Send us a request — we’ll tell you everything.

How do I form the feminine of an adjective?

Usually add -e: grand → grande. Some groups have special forms: -eux → -euse (heureuse), -if → -ive (sportive), -er → -ère (chère), and a few are irregular: blanc → blanche, beau → belle.

Which adjectives go before the noun?

Short, frequent ones — the BAGS rule: beauty (beau, joli), age (jeune, vieux, nouveau), goodness (bon, mauvais), size (grand, petit, gros). The rest, especially colours and nationalities, go after.

Why bel and not beau?

Before a masculine noun starting with a vowel or silent h, beau, nouveau, vieux become bel, nouvel, vieil — it’s easier to say: un bel endroit, un vieil ami.

Other topics

All topicsFrench verb conjugationFrench irregular verbs

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