Les règles - Learn french : descriptives adjectives
A descriptive adjective is a word that precedes or follows a noun or a pronoun. It describes that noun or pronoun.
Characters of a person, their appearance, the color of an animal, an object etc..
Exemples : C'est un gentil garçon : il est serviable.
A descriptive adjective agrees with the gender of the noun and with the quantity of the noun that it is describing.
Exemple : Dans ma vieille maison, on trouve des meubles anciens mais aussi une télévision neuve.
When we can eliminate the descriptive adjective in a sentence, it is usually the epithet of the Name or Group of the Name.
Exemple : J'adore les histoires vraies.
In a sentence the descriptive adjective describes the subject.
Exemple : Cette histoire est passionnante. Ces héros sont attachants.
It agrees with the gender and the number of the subject. It cannot be eliminated from the sentence.
The feminine form of the adjectives is most often formed by adding an “e".
Exemple : Grand => grande, petit => petite, joli => jolie
The adjectives that end in :e” do not change into the feminine form.
Exemple : Aimable => aimable, pâle => pâle
Adjectives that end in vowels "i", "ai", "u", etc., have an "e" added to form the feminine form.
Exemple : Joli => jolie, vrai=>vraie, pointu=>pointue
Adjectives that end in "on" et "ien" double their final consonant in the feminine form.
Exemple : Bon => bonne, ancien => ancienne
Adjectives that end in "el", "ul" et "eil" double their final consonant in the feminine form.
Exemple : Cruel => cruelle, nul => nulle, pareil => pareille
Adjectives that end in "et" double their final consonant in the feminine form.
Exception: complet, désuet, discret, inquiet…ending with "ète". (complet => complète, discret => discrète)
Exemple : Coquet => coquette
Adjectives that end in "ot" have a feminine form in "ote",
sauf pâlot, sot, vieillot…. ending with "otte".
Exemple: Idiot => idiote
Adjectives that end in "s" have a feminine form in "se"
Exception: bas, épais…., bas => basse, frais => fraiche, etc
Exemple: Gris => grise, bas => basse
Adjectives that end in "x" have a feminine form in "se",
Exception: doux, faux, roux…. => douce, fausse, rousse.
Exemple: Nerveux => nerveuse, doux => douce
Adjectives that end in "er" have a feminine form in "ère".
Exemple: Léger => légère
Adjectives that end in "f" have a feminine form in "ve"
Exemple: Neuf => neuve
Adjectives : beau, nouveau, fou, mou, vieux have a feminine form: belle, nouvelle, folle, vieille.
These same adjectives that are followed by a noun and begin with a vowel take on the masculine form, and is pronounced in the same way as those in the feminine form. Exemple: un vieil abruti, un fol amour, un nouvel appartement.
Exemple: Beau => belle, fou - folle, vieux - vieille
Qualifying adjectives ending with "c" have often a feminine form in "che".
Exception: Les soldats francs => les armées franques.
Exemple: Franc => franche, blanc => blanche
Exemples : C'est un gentil garçon : il est serviable.
A descriptive adjective agrees with the gender of the noun and with the quantity of the noun that it is describing.
Exemple : Dans ma vieille maison, on trouve des meubles anciens mais aussi une télévision neuve.
When we can eliminate the descriptive adjective in a sentence, it is usually the epithet of the Name or Group of the Name.
Exemple : J'adore les histoires vraies.
In a sentence the descriptive adjective describes the subject.
Exemple : Cette histoire est passionnante. Ces héros sont attachants.
It agrees with the gender and the number of the subject. It cannot be eliminated from the sentence.
The feminine form of the adjectives is most often formed by adding an “e".
Exemple : Grand => grande, petit => petite, joli => jolie
The adjectives that end in :e” do not change into the feminine form.
Exemple : Aimable => aimable, pâle => pâle
Adjectives that end in vowels "i", "ai", "u", etc., have an "e" added to form the feminine form.
Exemple : Joli => jolie, vrai=>vraie, pointu=>pointue
Adjectives that end in "on" et "ien" double their final consonant in the feminine form.
Exemple : Bon => bonne, ancien => ancienne
Adjectives that end in "el", "ul" et "eil" double their final consonant in the feminine form.
Exemple : Cruel => cruelle, nul => nulle, pareil => pareille
Adjectives that end in "et" double their final consonant in the feminine form.
Exception: complet, désuet, discret, inquiet…ending with "ète". (complet => complète, discret => discrète)
Exemple : Coquet => coquette
Adjectives that end in "ot" have a feminine form in "ote",
sauf pâlot, sot, vieillot…. ending with "otte".
Exemple: Idiot => idiote
Adjectives that end in "s" have a feminine form in "se"
Exception: bas, épais…., bas => basse, frais => fraiche, etc
Exemple: Gris => grise, bas => basse
Adjectives that end in "x" have a feminine form in "se",
Exception: doux, faux, roux…. => douce, fausse, rousse.
Exemple: Nerveux => nerveuse, doux => douce
Adjectives that end in "er" have a feminine form in "ère".
Exemple: Léger => légère
Adjectives that end in "f" have a feminine form in "ve"
Exemple: Neuf => neuve
Adjectives : beau, nouveau, fou, mou, vieux have a feminine form: belle, nouvelle, folle, vieille.
These same adjectives that are followed by a noun and begin with a vowel take on the masculine form, and is pronounced in the same way as those in the feminine form. Exemple: un vieil abruti, un fol amour, un nouvel appartement.
Exemple: Beau => belle, fou - folle, vieux - vieille
Qualifying adjectives ending with "c" have often a feminine form in "che".
Exception: Les soldats francs => les armées franques.
Exemple: Franc => franche, blanc => blanche
