An adjective is a word that modifes a noun by describing it in some way: shape,

color, size, nationality, etc. French adjectives are very diferent from nglish
adjectives in two ways:
1. French adjectives change to agree in gender and number with the nouns that
they modify, which means there can be up to four forms of each adjective:
Adjective: joli !pretty"
#asculine singular joli
Feminine singular jolie
#asculine plural jolis
Feminine plural jolies
$earn more: Agreement of French adjectives
2. %n nglish, adjectives are always found in front of the noun, but most French
adjectives follow the noun they modify:
un livre vert & green boo'
un professeur intelligent & smart teacher
(ut there are some French adjectives that precede the noun:
un beau garon & handsome boy
un petit verre & small glass
%n nglish, adjectives virtually always precede the nouns they modify: a blue car, a
big house. %n French, adjectives may be placed before or after the noun, depending
on their type and meaning. )his concept can be aggravating for French learners, but
with patience and practice you*ll be able to describe to your heart*s content. )he
following e+planations should cover about ,-. of adjectives, but, alas, there are
always some e+ceptions.
1. Placement after the noun
#ost descriptive adjectives are placed after the noun they modify. )hese normally
have an analytical meaning, in that they classify the noun into a certain category.
)hese types of adjectives include shape, color, taste, nationality, religion, social
class, and other adjectives that describe things li'e personality and mood.
une table ronde & round table
un livre noir & blac' boo'
du th sucr & sweet tea
une femme amricaine & American woman
une glise catholique & /atholic church
une famille bourgeoise & middle&class family
%n addition, present participles and past participles used as adjectives are always
placed after the noun.
une histoire intressante & interesting story
un dbat passionn & lively debate
2. Placement before the noun
/ertain adjectives are placed before the noun, some which you can memorize with
the acronym 0(A120:
Beauty
Age
Good and bad
Size !e+cept for grand with people & see 3, below"
)hese descriptors & and a few others & are considered inherent 4ualities of the noun:
une jolie flle & pretty girl
un jeune homme & young man
une nouvelle maison & new house
un bon enfant & good child
un petit problme & small problem
les sincres condolances & sincere condolences
les vagues promesses & vague promises
un gentil garon & 'ind boy
%n addition, all non&descriptive !i.e., demonstrative, indefnite, interrogative,
negative, and possessive" adjectives are placed before the noun:
ces livres & these boo's
chaque personne & each person
quel stylo ? & which pen5
aucune femme & no woman
mon enfant & my child
3. Placement depends on meaning
2ome adjectives have both a fgurative and an analytic !literal" sense and can thus
be placed on either side of the noun. 6hen the adjective is fgurative, it goes before
the noun, and when it*s analytic, it goes after the noun.
Figurative: mes vertes annes my green !fruitful" years
$iteral: des lgumes verts green vegetables
Figurative: un grand homme a great man
$iteral: un homme grand a tall man
Figurative: un triste individu a sad !mean or bad" person
$iteral: un individu triste a sad !crying" person
Figurative: mon ancienne cole my old !former" school
$iteral: mon cole ancienne my old !aged" school
Figurative: un certain regard a certain !type of" loo'
$iteral: une victoire certaine a certain !assured" victory