Agreement of Adjectives
French: AQA A Level, topic 12.2.1
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.
Test yourself on Agreement of Adjectives
The word 'book' is masculine in French. How do you say 'the interesting book' in French?
How do you say 'sad' in the masculine singular in French?
Comment dites-vous 'heureux' au féminin pluriel?
How do you say 'they are sporty' in French?
How do you say the 'old women' in French?