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Posted by Chester Morton / Tuesday 7 February 2017 / No comments
Descriptive adjectives in French
Descriptive
adjectives are used to describe nouns. In French, descriptive adjectives
usually follow the nouns they modify. Descriptive adjectives may also
follow forms of the verb être (to be): il/elle est... (he/she/it
is . . . ); ils/ elles sont... (they are . . . )
un
professeur intéressant an
interesting teacher
un
ami sincère a
sincere friend
Il
est pratique. He/It
is practical.
Elle
est sportive. She is athletic.
Agreement
of Adjectives in Gender and Number
In French, adjectives agree in
both gender and number with the nouns they modify. The feminine form of
adjectives usually ends in -e. The regular plural adds an s.
Singular Plural
Masculine un ami intelligent des amis intelligents
Feminine une
amie intelligente des amies intelligentes
If the
masculine singular form of the adjective ends in an unaccented or silent -e,
the ending remains the same in the feminine singular.
C’est
un homme extraordinaire. He’s an extraordinary man.
C’est
une femme extraordinaire. She’s an extraordinary woman.
Paul
est optimiste. Paul is optimistic.
Mais
Claire est pessimiste. But Claire is pessimistic.
If the
singular form of an adjective ends in -s or -x, the plural ending
remains
the same.
Bradley
est anglais. Bradley
is English;
les
amis de Bradley Bradley’s
friends are also English.
sont
aussi anglais.
M.
Blin est généreux; Mr.
Blin is generous;
ses
(his) enfants sont aussi généreux.
his
children are also generous.
If a
plural subject or group contains one or more masculine items or people, the
plural adjective is masculine.
Suzanne
et Georges Suzanne
and Georges are
sont
intelligents. intelligent.
Suzanne
et Amélie sont
Suzanne and
Amélie are
intelligentes.
intelligent.
Invariable
adjectives or adjectival phrases do not change in gender or number.
Ce
sont des chaussures chic et bon marché.
These
are stylish and inexpensive shoes.
Some
descriptive adjectives have irregular forms.
Singular
MASCULINE
FEMININE ENGLISH
conservateur
conservatrice conservative
courageux
courageuse courageous
fier
fière proud
gentil
gentille
nice
naturel
naturelle natural
parisien
parisienne Parisian
sportif sportive athletic
travailleur
travailleuse hardworking
Plural
MASCULINE
FEMININE ENGLISH
conservateurs
conservatrices conservative
courageux
courageuses courageous
fiers
fières proud
gentils
gentilles nice
naturels
naturelles natural
parisiens parisiennes Parisian(someone
from Paris)
sportifs sportives athletic
travailleurs
travailleuses hardworking
Other
descriptive adjectives with irregular forms include the following examples:
canadien
(canadienne) Canadian
cher
(chère) expensive; dear
conspirateur
(conspiratrice) conspiratorial
ennuyeux
(ennuyeuse) boring
naïf
(naïve) naïve
paresseux
(paresseuse) lazy
sérieux
(sérieuse) serious
Labels:
FRENCH
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