How do most adjectives change with a feminine noun?
Add -e to the masculine form
un chat noir, une voiture noire (a black cat, a black car)
The rules
What happens to adjectives already ending in -e?
They don't change in the feminine.
un livre rouge, une table rouge (a red book, a red table)
How do most adjectives change in the plural?
Add -s (feminine plural: -es)
des chats noirs, des robes noires (black cats, black dresses)
Which adjective form is used for a mixed group?
The masculine plural form.
Paul et Marie sont contents. (Paul and Marie are happy.)
How do adjectives ending in -eux, -if and -ien become feminine?
-eux → -euse, -if → -ive, -ien → -ienne
heureux → heureuse, sportif → sportive, italien → italienne (happy, sporty, Italian)
Which common adjectives have an irregular feminine?
beau → belle, vieux → vieille, nouveau → nouvelle, blanc → blanche, long → longue
une belle robe (a beautiful dress)
Which common color adjectives are invariable?
marron and orange
une chaussure marron, des chaussures marron (a brown shoe, brown shoes)
Where do most adjectives go?
After the noun, especially colors and nationalities
une voiture rouge, un ami français (a red car, a French friend)
Which common adjectives usually go before the noun?
beau, joli, grand, petit, bon, mauvais, jeune, vieux, nouveau
une petite maison (a small house)
Common mistakes
- Most adjectives go after the noun: « une voiture rouge », not « une rouge voiture ».
- Adding -e often makes a silent consonant heard: « petit » ends in an i sound, « petite » ends in a t sound.
- « Marron » and « orange » never change: « des chaussures marron ».
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