8.8.1

Agreement (1/3)

Test yourself

Adjectives Must Agree

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

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Common adjectives

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

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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.

Jump to other topics

1Home & Abroad

2Education & Employment

3Personal Life & Relationships

4The World Around Us

5Social Activities, Fitness & Health

6Common Tenses

7Advanced Tenses

8Extra Grammar

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