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L e s  A d j e c t i f s - - F r e n c h  A d j e c t i v e s

An adjective is a word that modifies a noun. Adjectives can describe shape, color, size, and many other things about a noun.

French adjectives are very different from English adjectives, for two main reasons. Whereas in English, adjectives are always found in front of the noun, the placement of French adjectives depends on the meaning of that particular adjective.

In addition, French adjectives change to agree in gender and number with the nouns that they modify. This means that there can be up to four forms of each adjective: masculine singular, feminine singular, masculine plural, and feminine plural. Some very irregular adjectives even have different forms depending on whether the noun that follows them begins with a vowel or a consonant.

I. Most adjectives add an e for feminine and an s for plural

This rule applies to adjectives that end in most consonants as well as those that end with é.

II. When the adjective ends in e, there is no difference between the masculine and feminine forms

III. When the adjective ends in s or x, there is no difference between the singular and plural masculine forms

IV. Irregular gender patterns

V. Irregular plural patterns

VI. Completely irregular

The following table lists the four adjectives that have a special form when they are placed in front of a masculine noun that begins with a vowel or a mute h.