Noun-adjective agreement in French ensures that adjectives match the gender and number of the nouns they describe. Understanding this rule is key to writing and speaking correctly.
Noun-adjective agreement is a fundamental rule in French grammar that requires adjectives to match the gender (masculine or feminine) and number (singular or plural) of the noun they modify. This rule applies regardless of the adjective's position in the sentence.
- Adjectives agree in gender: masculine or feminine.
- Adjectives agree in number: singular or plural.
- Most adjectives add -e for feminine and -s for plural.
Understanding these agreements helps avoid common errors and makes your French more natural and accurate.
Gender Agreement
In French, nouns are either masculine or feminine, and adjectives must match this gender. The base form of the adjective is usually masculine singular.
- Masculine singular: is the adjective's base form.
- Feminine singular: usually add -e (if not already ending in -e).
- Some adjectives have irregular feminine forms (see below).
Examples:
- un chat noir (a black cat, masculine singular)
- une chatte noire (a black cat, feminine singular)
una gata ___ (gato negro, femenino)
Select the correct French adjective for 'a black cat' when the cat is feminine.
noire
The masculine form is 'noir' and the feminine form adds -e to become 'noire'.
Number Agreement
Adjectives must also agree in number with the noun, whether singular or plural.
- Singular: no change (or just feminine -e).
- Plural: add -s to the masculine or feminine form.
- If the adjective already ends in -s or -x in singular, the plural form stays the same.
Examples:
- un livre intéressant (an interesting book, singular)
- des livres intéressants (interesting books, plural)
- une idée intéressante (an interesting idea, singular)
- des idées intéressantes (interesting ideas, plural)
Irregular Adjective Endings
Some adjectives have irregular endings in the masculine singular, especially those ending in -e, -f, -eux, or -al. Their feminine and plural forms follow special patterns.
- -f ➔ -ve: actif → active
- -eux ➔ -euse: heureux → heureuse
- -al ➔ -ale (sing.), -aux (pl.): normal → normale / normaux
- -e endings: usually no change for feminine (just add -s for plural)
Examples:
- un garçon actif / une fille active / des filles actives
- un homme heureux / une femme heureuse / des femmes heureuses
- un problème normal / une solution normale / des problèmes normaux
Special Cases
Adjectives with Invariable Forms
Some adjectives do not change for gender or number, especially those of color borrowed from English or certain compound forms.
Examples:
- un pull orange / des pulls orange
- des jeans bleu marine
Adjectives Placed Before Nouns
Most French adjectives come after the noun, but some common ones come before (e.g., petit, grand, beau, vieux, nouveau). The agreement rules still apply.
Examples:
- un petit garçon / une petite fille
- un beau jardin / une belle maison
Compound Nouns
In compound nouns, only the main noun is pluralized; adjectives still agree with the noun.
Examples:
- des porte-monnaie rouges (red wallets)
- des chefs-d’œuvre célèbres (famous masterpieces)
Examples and Practice
| French Example | English Example |
|---|---|
| un chien blanc | a white dog |
| une table blanche | a white table |
| des chiens blancs | white dogs |
| des tables blanches | white tables |
| un homme sérieux | a serious man |
| une femme sérieuse | a serious woman |
| des hommes sérieux | serious men |
| des femmes sérieuses | serious women |
Common Mistakes
- Forgetting to add -e for feminine: une fille blanc → une fille blanche
- Forgetting to add -s for plural: des chats noir → des chats noirs
- Using the masculine form for a feminine noun: une actife → active
What mistake do learners make with plural adjectives in French?
Forgetting to add -s to the adjective.
Learners often forget that plural adjectives need an -s (except when ending in -s or -x).
Two-Member Noun-Adjective Agreement Tables
| Masculine Singular | Feminine Singular | Masculine Plural | Feminine Plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| un chat noir | une chatte noire | des chats noirs | des chattes noires |
| un livre intéressant | une idée intéressante | des livres intéressants | des idées intéressantes |
| un garçon actif | une fille active | des garçons actifs | des filles actives |
Three-Member Noun-Adjective Agreement Tables
| Singular | Plural | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| un chien blanc / une chienne blanche | des chiens blancs / des chiennes blanches | suffixes: -e (fem), -s (pl) |
| un homme heureux / une femme heureuse | des hommes heureux / des femmes heureuses | -eux ➔ -euse (fem), -s (pl) |
| un garçon actif / une fille active | des garçons actifs / des filles actives | -f ➔ -ve (fem), -s (pl) |
| un problème normal / une solution normale | des problèmes normaux / des solutions normales | -al ➔ -ale (sing fem), -aux (pl masc) |
Conclusion
Noun-adjective agreement is essential for grammatical accuracy in French. By matching adjectives to the noun's gender and number, your sentences will be both correct and elegant. Keep practicing, and these rules will become second nature!
Flashcards (1 of 8)
- English Example: a white dog
Last updated: Thu Jun 12, 2025
