100+ Frequent French Adjectives And Methods to Use Them Correctly

Frequent exceptions to utilizing adjectives in French appropriately

The French language all the time has a number of exceptions, and there are fairly few adjectives which have irregular spelling adjustments relying on the gender and variety of the noun.

Irregular female varieties

We defined above that sure nouns might be female in gender, and usually, adjectives modifying these nouns will simply want an -e hooked up to the top. Whenever you come throughout an irregular female noun, you’ll discover that sure closing consonants might be doubled earlier than including the -e. Have a look a the next examples: 

n → nne

• un homme canadien = a Canadian man
• une femme canadienne = a Canadian girl

l → lle

• un homme gentil = a good man
• une femme gentille = a good girl

s → sse

• un gros coq = a fats rooster
• une grosse poule = a fats hen

Moreover, some endings will change barely within the female kind

x→se

• un homme heureux = a pleased man
• une femme heureuse = a pleased girl

f → ve

• un homme naïf = a naive man
• une femme naïve = a naive girl

Plural noun settlement

Fortunately, there are not any irregular endings to be taught to make plural adjective varieties. Nonetheless, if a singular adjective ends in x or s, don’t add an extra s to the ending to indicate plural, simply depart it as is.

• un homme heureux = a contented man
• les hommes heureux = the pleased males
• un gros chat = a fats cat
• les gros chats = the fats cats

Irregular French adjectives: beau, nouveau, and vieux 

There are a number of adjectives which have considerably completely different varieties relying on the gender and quantity. There are three irregular adjectives which can be used most incessantly: beau, nouveau, and vieux. Since these are generally used phrases, we’ve included this part that will help you achieve success.

Beau = good-looking / stunning

Listed here are a number of examples: 

• un beau garçon = a good-looking boy
• deux beaux garçons = two good-looking boys
• une belle fille = a stunning lady
• deux belles filles = two stunning women

And, there’s even another irregular kind for this adjective! Primarily based on the desk above, it might sound logical to say: 

• un beau homme = a good-looking man

However that is incorrect.

Usually, the French language avoids having two vowel sounds subsequent to one another. The “o” sound in beau and the “o” sound in homme are doing simply that. To keep away from this awkwardness, French has an extra kind for an adjective positioned earlier than a noun that begins with a vowel sound that’s each masculine and singular.

In these cases, you’ll take the female singular kind (belle) and drop the final two letters (le) to get the proper model of the adjective.

• un bel homme = a good-looking man

Nouveau = new

• un nouveau livre  = a new e book
• un nouvel appartement = a new residence
• les nouveaux livres = the new books
• une nouvelle maison = a new home
• les nouvelles maisons = the new homes

Vieux = previous

• un vieux livre  = an previous e book
• un vieil appartement = an previous residence
• les vieux livres = the previous books
• une vieille maison = an previous home
• les vieilles maisons = the previous homes

Invariable adjectives in French

Lastly, there are invariable adjectives. These are phrases that maintain the identical kind irrespective of the quantity or gender of the noun they modify. You’ll need to verify {that a} modifier is certainly an invariable adjective within the context you propose to make use of it earlier than skipping settlement, however you need to use the next clues to make an informed guess.

Shortened types of longer adjectives are sometimes invariable. Check out how sympa (the shortened type of sympathique) is used under: 

• les hommes sympa = the good males

Many mortgage phrases (phrases borrowed from a special language) don’t tackle endings both. For instance, “cool” doesn’t want an -e or -s on the finish of it to agree with “women.”

• les filles cool = the cool women

Many colour phrases derived from nouns (marron, orange, and turquoise, for instance) are additionally invariable adjectives. 

• les livres marron = the brown books