Agreement of Adjectives

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Adjectives Must Agree

Adjectives are describing words, they agree when they are describing things.

Common adjectives

Beau/belle - beautiful.
Triste - sad.
Normal(e) - normal.
Intéressant(e) - interesting.
Affreux/affreuse - awful.
Long(ue) - long.
Facile - easy.
Difficile - difficult.

Singular

In French, adjectives agree with the gender and the quantity of the noun.
When it is masculine singular, they never change, for feminine singular you normally add an 'e', (unless it already has an 'e').
- Le film intéressant - the interesting film.
- La piste intéressante - the interesting approach.

Plural

For masculine plural you just add an 's', for feminine plural you add 'es'.
- Les films intéressants - the interesting films.
- Les pistes intéressantes - the interesting approaches.

Irregular Agreements

For some words, you don't just add 'es' or 's'. They have irregular plural agreements.

Ending in 'x'

When adjectives end in 'x' in the masculine singular, the feminine singular and plurals are irregular too.
Heureux - happy.

Heureux - masculine singular.

Heureux - masculine plural.
Dangeureux - dangerous.
- Dangereuse - feminine singular.
- Dangereuses - feminine plural.

Ending in 'on', 'en', 'el', 'il'

When adjectives end in 'on', 'en', 'el' or 'il' in the masculine singular, the feminine singular and plural are irregular.
Bon - good.

Bon - masculine singular.

Bons - masculine plural.

Bonne - feminine singular.

Bonnes - feminine plural.

Ending in 'er'

When adjectives end in 'er' the feminine singular and plural are irregular.
Premier - first.

Premier - masculine singular.

Premiers - masculine plural.

Première - feminine singular.

Premières - feminine plural.

Ending in 'f'

When adjectives end in 'f' the feminine singular and plural are irregular.
Sportif - sporty.

Sportif - masculine singular.

Sportifs - masculine plural.

Sportive - feminine singular.

Sportives - feminine plural.

Ending in 'c'

When adjectives end in 'c' the feminine singular and plural are irregular.
Blanc - white.

Blanc - masculine singular.

Blancs - masculine plural.

Blanche - feminine singular.

Blanches - feminine plural.

No Pattern Irregulars

Some irregulars don't follow a pattern when agreeing with a noun. These just need to be learned. Some of these change before a masculine singular noun that starts in a vowel.

Tout - all

Masculine singular → Tout.
Masculine plural → Tous.
Feminine singular → Toute.
Feminine plural → Toutes.

Long - long

Masculine singular → Long.
Masculine plural → Longs.
Feminine singular → Longue.
Feminine plural → Longues.

Rigolo - funny

Masculine singular → Rigolo.
Masculine plural → Rigolos.
Feminine singular → Rigolote.
Feminine plural → Rigolotes.

Vieux - old

Masculine singular → Vieux.
Masculine singular before a noun that starts with a vowel or the letter 'h' → Vieil.
Masculine plural → Vieux.
Feminine singular → Vieille.
Feminine plural → Vieilles.

Beau - beautiful

Masculine singular → Beau.
Masculine singular before a noun that starts with a vowel or the letter 'h' → Bel.
Masculine plural → Beaux.
Feminine singular → Belle.
Feminine plural → Belles.

Nouveau - new

Masculine singular → Nouveau.
Masculine singular before a noun that starts with a vowel or the letter 'h' → Nouvel.
Masculine plural → Nouveaux.
Feminine singular → Nouvelle.
Feminine plural → Nouvelles.

Fou - crazy, mad

Masculine singular → Fou.
Masculine singular before a noun that starts with a vowel or the letter 'h' → Fol.
Masculine plural → Fous.
Feminine singular → Folle.
Feminine plural → Folles.