French adjective agreement rules

French adjectives must agree in gender and number with the nouns they describe. This can be tricky for English speakers, as adjectives in English don't change. Here's a quick guide to help you master French adjective agreement.

Basic Rules

1. Add -e for feminine nouns
2. Add -s for plural nouns
3. Add -es for feminine plural nouns

Examples

• Un grand garçon (A tall boy) → Une grande fille (A tall girl)
• Un chat noir (A black cat) → Des chats noirs (Black cats)
• Une belle maison (A beautiful house) → De belles maisons (Beautiful houses)

Irregular Adjectives

Some adjectives have irregular forms:

• Beau (beautiful) → Belle (feminine), Beaux (masculine plural), Belles (feminine plural)
• Nouveau (new) → Nouvelle, Nouveaux, Nouvelles
• Vieux (old) → Vieille, Vieux, Vieilles

Position of Adjectives

Most French adjectives come after the noun:

• Une voiture rouge (A red car)

Some common adjectives come before the noun:

• Un petit chien (A small dog)

Remember, practice makes perfect. Try describing objects around you in French to get comfortable with adjective agreement.