Making nouns (les substantifs) and adjectives (les adjectifs) match each other in number and gender is extremely important when learning French. Matching nouns and adjectives in French is called adjective agreement (l’accord adjectif). French is not like English! If you don’t watch grammatical number (le nombre) and gender (le genre), you won’t be understood by French-speaking people!
Nouns (les substantifs) name people, places, and things!
In French, adjectives MUST match the noun they are describing in GENDER (masculine/feminine) and in NUMBER (singular/plural). In grammar terms, matching the correct form of adjectives to the nouns they describe is called adjective agreement.
GENDER OF ADJECTIVES (le genre des adjectifs) :
Most French adjectives form the feminine by adding -e to the end of the masculine form of the adjective:
vert / vert e : green
amusant / amusant e : funny
joli / joli e : pretty
français / français e : French
obstiné / obstiné e : stubborn
Adjectives that already end in silent -e in the masculine form do not change in the feminine form:
jaune / jaune : yellow
sincère / sincère : sincere
bête / bête : stupid / silly / foolish
timide / timide : shy
sympathique / sympathique : nice
Masculine adjectives that end in -x form the feminine by changing the -x to -se :
ennuyeux / ennuyeu se : boring
affreux / affreu se : horrible
généreux / généreu se : generous
studieux / studieu se : studious
jaloux / jalou se : jealous
Masculine adjectives that end in -f form the feminine by changing the -f to -ve :
sportif / sporti ve : athletic
actif / acti ve : active
neuf / neu ve : new
bref / brè ve : brief
(*Note that there is also an accent grave over the first –e in the feminine form of this adjective)
Masculine adjectives that end in -er form the feminine by changing the -er to -ère :
cher / ch ère : expensive
étranger / étrang ère : foreign
Many masculine adjectives that end in -el, -il, -eil, -n, -ien, and most that end in -et form the feminine by doubling the final consonant and then adding -e :
actuel / actue lle : real
bon / bo nne : good
gentil / genti lle : kind / nice
pareil / parei lle : same / identical
égyptien / égyptie nne : Egyptian
cadet / cade tte : younger / youngest
A few masculine adjectives that end in -s form the feminine by doubling the final -s and then adding -e :
bas / ba sse : low
épais / épai sse : thick
gras / gra sse : greasy / fatty
gros / gro sse : large / fat
The following adjectives have irregular feminine forms:
blanc / blanc he : white
complet / compl ète : complete
discret / discr ète : discreet
inquiet / inqui ète : anxious / worried
doux / dou ce : gentle / soft
faux / fau sse : false
favori / favori e : favorite
frais / fra îche : fresh
franc / franc he : frank
long / long ue : long
public / publi que : public
roux / rou sse : red haired
secret / secr ète : secret
Some adjectives have both an irregular feminine form as well as a special masculine form that is used before a vowel or silent ‘h’ :
beau (bel) / belle : handsome / beautiful
fou (fol) / folle : crazy
mou (mol) / molle : soft
nouveau (nouvel) / nouvelle : new
vieux (vieil) / vieille : old
NUMBER OF ADJECTIVES (le Nombre des Adjectifs) :
Most French adjectives are made plural by adding -s to the singular form of the adjective (either masculine or feminine):
MASCULINE: noir / noir s : black
FEMININE: noire / noire s : black
MASCULINE: intelligent / intelligent s : intelligent
FEMININE: intelligente / intelligente s : intelligent
MASCULINE: bleu / bleu s : blue
FEMININE: bleue / bleue s : blue
MASCULINE: fatigué / fatigué s : tired
FEMININE: fatiguée / fatiguée s : tired
MASCULINE: poli / poli s : polite
FEMININE: polie / polie s : polite
MASCULINE: bon / bon s : good
FEMININE: bonne / bonne s : good
MASCULINE: actif / actif s : active
FEMININE: active / active s : active
MASCULINE: cruel / cruel s : cruel
FEMININE: cruelle / cruelle s : cruel
Singular masculine adjectives that end in -s or -x do not change their form in the plural:
MASCULINE: mauvais / mauvais : bad
FEMININE: mauvaise / mauvaises : bad
MASCULINE: jaloux / jaloux : jealous
FEMININE: jalouse / jalouses : jealous
For most singular masculine adjectives that end in -al, the -al becomes -aux in the plural masculine form:
MASCULINE: national / nation aux : national
FEMININE: nationale / nationale : national
Masculine singular nouns that end in -eau are made plural by adding -x:
MASCULINE: beau / beau x : handsome
FEMININE: belle / belles : beautiful
MASCULINE: nouveau / nouveau x : new
FEMININE: nouvelle / nouvelles : new
The masculine singular adjective tout is irregular. It becomes tous in the masculine plural form:
MASCULINE: tout / tous : all
FEMININE: toute / toutes : all
An adjective that describes two or more nouns of different genders will take the masculine plural form:
L’homme et la femme sont américains.
The man and the woman are American.
Most French adjectives are placed after the noun(s) they describe. Some French adjectives precede the noun(s) they describe. (See: French Grammar: Adjective Placement )
Je suis un homme honnête et intelligent.
I am an honest and intelligent man.
Je suis une femme studieuse et accomplie.
I am a studious and successful woman.
Elle est une bonne amie.
She is a good friend.
Elle est amusante et très intéressante.
She is funny and very interesting.
Il est très amusant et patient avec les enfants.
He is very funny and patient with children.
Il est très sympathique et un patron idéal.
He is very nice and an ideal boss.
Ils sont très grands et blonds.
They (masc.) are very tall and blond.
Elles sont très petites et brunes.
They (fem.) are very short and brunette.
Le garcon et la jeune fille sont très jeunes et mignons.
The boy and the girl are very young and cute.
