Descriptive adjectives in French describe the qualities or characteristics of a noun. They agree in gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural) with the noun they modify. Most descriptive adjectives are placed after the noun, but some common ones come before the noun.
Agreement Rules
Descriptive adjectives change their endings to match the noun’s gender and number:
| Noun Gender/Number | Adjective Ending (e.g., petit) | Example (masc. sing.) | Example (fem. sing.) | Example (masc. pl.) | Example (fem. pl.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masculine Singular | – | petit | petits | ||
| Feminine Singular | –e | petite | petite | petites | |
| Masculine Plural | –s | petits | petites | petits | petites |
| Feminine Plural | –es | petites | petites | petites | petites |
Example: petit (small)*
- Un chat petit (a small cat)
- Une maison petite (a small house)
- Des chats petits (small cats)
- Des maisons petites (small houses)
Common Agreement Patterns
- Add –e for feminine singular (if not already ending in –e).
- Add –s for plural forms.
- For adjectives ending in –eux, change to –euse in the feminine (e.g., heureux → heureuse).
- For adjectives ending in –if, change to –ive in the feminine (e.g., sportif → sportive).
- Some adjectives have irregular forms (e.g., beau → belle, vieux → vieille).
Placement Rules
Usually After the Noun
Most descriptive adjectives come after the noun they modify.
- une maison blanche (a white house)
- un chien gentil (a kind dog)
- des fleurs rouges (red flowers)
Some Come Before the Noun
A few common adjectives are usually placed before the noun. These include:
- beau (beautiful)
- nouveau (new)
- vieux (old)
- petit (small)
- grand (big/tall)
- jeune (young)
- bon (good)
- mauvais (bad)
Examples:*
- un beau jardin (a beautiful garden)
- une petite fille (a small girl)
- un vieux monsieur (an old gentleman)
Meaning Changes Based on Position
Some adjectives change meaning depending on whether they come before or after the noun.
| Adjective | Before Noun Meaning | After Noun Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| ancien | former | ancient/old | un ancien professeur (a former teacher)<br>un professeur ancien (an ancient/old teacher) |
| cher | dear | expensive | une chère amie (a dear friend)<br>une voiture chère (an expensive car) |
| dernier | final (in a series) | most recent | la dernière page (the final page)<br>la page dernière (the most recent/last page) |
| pauvre | unfortunate | poor (no money) | un pauvre homme (an unfortunate man)<br>un homme pauvre (a poor man) |
| propre | own | clean | ma propre chambre (my own room)<br>une chambre propre (a clean room) |
| seul | only | alone | la seule survivante (the only survivor)<br>elle est seule (she is alone) |
Examples of Descriptive Adjectives in Sentences
| French Example | English Example |
|---|---|
| La maison bleue est grande. | The blue house is big. |
| Un garçon intelligent réussit toujours. | A smart boy always succeeds. |
| Elle a des yeux verts. | She has green eyes. |
| Nous avons rencontré une femme gentille. | We met a kind woman. |
| Ils vivent dans un appartement ancien. | They live in an old apartment. |
Summary
- Descriptive adjectives describe qualities and must agree in gender and number with the noun.
- Most adjectives come after the noun, but some common ones come before.
- A few adjectives change meaning depending on their position.
- Agreement is usually by adding –e (feminine) and/or –s (plural), with some irregular forms.
Flashcards (1 of 5)
- English Example: The blue house is big.
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
