French Adjectival Agreement: Rules and Examples

French adjectives must agree in gender and number with the nouns they modify, a concept that can be challenging for English speakers. This article breaks down the rules of French adjectival agreement and provides practical examples to help you master this crucial aspect of French grammar.

Basic Rules of Agreement

Gender Agreement

In French, adjectives change their form to match the gender of the noun they describe:

• Masculine: "un petit garçon" (a small boy)
• Feminine: "une petite fille" (a small girl)

Most adjectives add an -e to form the feminine, but there are exceptions:

• "heureux" (happy) becomes "heureuse"
• "beau" (beautiful) becomes "belle"

Number Agreement

Adjectives also change to reflect singular or plural nouns:

• Singular: "un chat noir" (a black cat)
• Plural: "des chats noirs" (black cats)

Generally, add -s for plural forms. Some adjectives ending in -s or -x don't change in the plural.

Special Cases

Adjectives Ending in -e

Adjectives already ending in -e don't change for gender:

• "un livre difficile" (a difficult book)
• "une question difficile" (a difficult question)

Irregular Adjectives

Some adjectives have irregular forms:

• "vieux" (old) → "vieille" (feminine), "vieux" (masculine plural), "vieilles" (feminine plural)
• "beau" (beautiful) → "belle" (feminine), "beaux" (masculine plural), "belles" (feminine plural)

Position of Adjectives

Most French adjectives come after the noun:

• "une voiture rouge" (a red car)

Some common adjectives precede the noun:

• "un grand homme" (a great man)

Examples in Context

1. "Les petites filles jouent avec leurs nouvelles poupées." (The little girls play with their new dolls.)

2. "J'ai acheté une belle maison blanche avec un grand jardin vert." (I bought a beautiful white house with a big green garden.)

3. "Ces vieux livres sont très intéressants." (These old books are very interesting.)

By understanding and practicing these rules, you'll significantly improve your French writing and speaking skills. Remember, consistent practice with varied examples is key to mastering French adjectival agreement.